Racecards
13:15 Haydock Park
Back And Lay On The Betfair Exchange Novices' Chase (GBB Race) (Class 2)
- 4 Runners
- Distance: 2m 5f 127y
- Going: Heavy
- Surface: Turf
- £18,500 added
- Winner: £12,021
- 2nd: £3,530
- 3rd: £1,765
- 4th: £882
- Form 3/1310-1
- Age 6
- Weight 11-5
- Official Rating 142
- Trainer K C Bailey
- Jockey David Bass
tracked leaders, dropped to 4th after 8th, went 2nd 10th, led briefly 12th, led before 3 out, narrowly headed next, ridden between last 2, stayed on same pace run-in
Doc Penfro
17- Form 02/412-2
- Age 8
- Weight 11-0
- Official Rating 136
- Trainer Miss E C Lavelle
- Jockey Aidan Coleman
tracked leader, mistake 5th, awkward and lost 2nd 10th, pushed along and weakened before 4 out
Redford Road
27- Form 2150-38
- Age 6
- Weight 11-0
- Official Rating 135
- Trainer N A Twiston-Davies
- Jockey Sam Twiston-Davies
led, hit 12th and headed briefly, pushed along and joined 4 out, headed before 3 out, soon dropped to 3rd and weakened
- Form F5F2/23-
- Age 6
- Weight 11-0
- Official Rating 135
- Trainer Miss V Williams
- Jockey Charlie Deutsch
raced bit wide, tracked leaders, closer in 3rd after 8th, 2nd approaching 3 out, led and hit 2 out, went left last, kept on strongly to go clear run-in
Verdict
Though a Grade 2 winner over hurdles, Redford Road hasn’t looked a natural so far over fences while Royale Pagaille has finished last in both starts for new connections, though was placed in a Listed chase in France under similar conditions. DOC PENFRO has few miles on the clock and, though clear second-best behind the much-vaunted The Big Breakaway on his fencing bow at Cheltenham, showed enough to go one better here receiving 5lb from Huntingdon scorer Espoir De Romay.
Formwatch
Espoir De Romay (FR) 8-11fav (11-2) Tracked leader, led 5th until next, led again 8th, awkward 13th, 2 lengths ahead when mistake last, ridden and stayed on well run-in, won at Huntingdon 2m 4f (3) gd in Nov beating Senior Citizen (11-12) by 2 1/2l, 6 ran.
Doc Penfro 12-1 (11-0) Chased leaders, went 2nd 14th, shaken up before 2 out, no impression on winner flat, 2nd of 5, 10l behind The Big Breakaway (11-0) at Cheltenham 3m (2) sft in Nov.
Redford Road 13-2 (12-1) Mid-division out wide, awkward 2nd, headway chasing leaders before 4 out, ridden before 2 out, weakened soon after, 8th of 11, 22 3/4l behind Morning Vicar (11-7) at Newbury 2m 4f hcp (3) gd in Nov.
Royale Pagaille (FR) 11-4 (11-2) Kept bit wide, tracked winner, left in lead 15th, headed and weakened quickly 2 out, last of 3, 19 1/4l behind Equus Secretus (11-2) at Huntingdon 3m (4) hvy in Mar.