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15:45 Ascot

Queen Mother Memorial Fund Novices' Hurdle (Class D)

  • 10 Runners
  • Distance: 2m 110y
  • Going: Heavy
Weighed In
  • Winning Time: 4m 16.90s
  • 10 Ran
1
Silk - ROYAL BLUE, EMERALD GREEN sleeves, WHITE cap, EMERALD GREEN spots
4/1
  • Form 3111
  • Age 6
  • Weight 11-12

led, ridden and headed approaching 2 out, kept on,no chance with winner

2
Silk - PURPLE, PURPLE and YELLOW check sleeves, quartered cap
  • Form 31
  • Age 7
  • Weight 11-8

tracked leader, ridden after 3 out, one pace

3
Silk - Royal blue, large yellow spots, halved sleeves and spots on cap

Alsyati

21
100/1
  • Form 00
  • Age 6
  • Weight 11-2

in touch until 5th, soon behind, tailed off and pulled up before 2 out

4
Silk - Purple, Emerald Green Cross of Lorraine, Emerald Green cap
11/4
  • Form 2
  • Age 6
  • Weight 11-2

always going well, tracked leaders, led on bit approaching 2 out, soon clear, easily

5
Silk - Beige, Black hollow box and armlets, quartered cap
66/1
  • Form 65P42/
  • Age 8
  • Weight 11-2

in touch until 6th, soon weakened, tailed off and pulled up before 2 out

6
Silk - Black, white sash and sleeves, gold cap
40/1
  • Form 4
  • Age 5
  • Weight 11-2

in touch, headway 6th, blundered 3 out, soon ridden, one pace

7
Silk - MAUVE
  • Form 355
  • Age 5
  • Weight 11-2

in touch, lost place from 5th, stayed on from 3 out, never troubled leaders

9
Silk - BLACK, WHITE hoops, EMERALD GREEN sleeves and cap
100/1
  • Form 66-
  • Age 8
  • Weight 11-2

held up, pecked 1st, behind from 5th, tailed off and pulled up before 2 out

10
Silk - Royal Blue, Chocolate and Red hoops, White cap
150/1
  • Form 0-P
  • Age 7
  • Weight 11-2

behind from 5th, tailed off and pulled up after 3 out

11
Silk - Black, Gold Cross and stripe on cap
16/1
  • Form 2/
  • Age 9
  • Weight 11-2

chased leaders, ridden after 3 out, weakened

8
NR
  • Age 6
  • Weight 11-2

12
NR
  • Age 4
  • Weight 10-5

In depth

Verdict

Some interesting runners line up here including the two ex-South African runners Grande Jete and Golden Reward, plus the former German-trained Dictum but for the selection we stick closer to home and the former William Haggas inmate Contraband. The selection has looked a progressive performer since an encouraging debut third behind Self Defense at Cheltenham with wins at Taunton, Musselburgh and Kempton. Admittedly Martin Pipe's gelding has a double penalty to carry but there is no reason to suggest that he is not up to the task of shouldering it. The Paul Nicholls-trained Goblet Of Fire was rated to a similar level of ability to the selection on the flat but has yet to convince over hurdles so a bigger threat may come from Nicky Henderson's Grande Jete, who won with the minimum of fuss at Wincanton on Boxing Day and may be open to more improvement. A similar comment applies to Susan Nock's Dictum, although the form of her second to Howle Hill has taken some knocks. Scorned has been off the track for a long time but cannot be completely dismissed, however, it is Contraband that makes most appeal and gets the vote.