Racecards
15:10 Exeter
Sharp Mares' Only Handicap Hurdle (Class D)
- 7 Runners
- Distance: 2m 1f
- Going: Good to Soft, Good in places
- Form 2-P0351
- Age 8
- Weight 11-12
- Trainer R Lee
- Jockey A Thornton
behind, ridden and headway 4th, went 3rd approaching 3 out soon one pace
Researcher
24- Form 6-14613
- Age 5
- Weight 11-11
- Trainer Miss V Williams
- Jockey A O'keeffe
led 1st, headed led again approaching 2nd, clear when headed 2 out, ridden next all out
Cybele Eria (FR)
255- Form 03212-4
- Age 7
- Weight 11-10
- Trainer John Allen
- Jockey M A Fitzgerald
behind, headway 4th, soon ridden along, weakened next
Long Shot
24- Form 2-31325
- Age 7
- Weight 11-9
- Trainer N J Henderson
- Jockey Andrew Tinkler
with leader to 2nd, weakened when ridden approaching 4th, soon tailed off
- Form 1543-02
- Age 7
- Weight 11-3
held up in touch, headway 3rd, 2nd and every chance approaching 3 out, ridden next ran on flat
Kildee Lass
25- Form 000-551
- Age 5
- Weight 11-0
behind, headway 3rd, in touch until ridden and approaching 3 out
- Form 340224
- Age 5
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer Mrs A Hamilton-Fairley
- Jockey J P McNamara
prominent, led briefly after 1st, 3rd and ridden when headed 3 out, not fluent last, always held
Verdict
Macnance, Researcher, Scratch The Dove and French Mannequin look to be the principles here and we will side with Scratch The Dove. The selection finished a close second behind Macnance at Hereford last time out, and should be capable of reversing those placings here as he is 21bs better off at the weights and has AP McCoy taking over from Tom Scudamore in the plate. French Mannequin finished fourth in that same race and is weighted to get closer to the first two home, but he was well beaten on that day and will have to improve if he is to have anything more than place claims. Researcher looks to have a better chance of troubling the principles as this gelding from the Venetia Williams yard is a course and distance winner who has been in good form of late, but he has been steadily rising in the weights and looks to be in the grip of the handicapper at present. Of the rest, Long Shot is from a leading yard and could be interesting if the market speaks in his favour, but in an open race, Scratch The Dove gets the vote.