Racecards
14:20 Stratford
Rachel Hawkins 30th Birthday Champagne Novices' Hurdle (Class 4)
- 11 Runners
- Distance: 2m 110y
- Going: Good (Good to Firm in places)
- Surface: Turf
- £5,000 added
- Winner: £3,249
- 2nd: £954
- 3rd: £477
- 4th: £238
- Form 7131-
- Age 9
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 138
- Trainer David Dennis
- Jockey N D Fehily
took keen hold, chased leaders, went 2nd 3 out, not fluent next, ridden and every chance when out-jumped by winner last, stayed on same pace flat
- Form 3R2316-
- Age 4
- Weight 11-1
- Official Rating 116
- Trainer Miss R Curtis
- Jockey L P Aspell
mid-division, not fluent 3rd, headway after 5th, ridden and outpaced by front pair before last, stayed on one pace
- Form 2/218-
- Age 4
- Weight 11-1
- Official Rating 129
- Trainer P F Nicholls
- Jockey Nick Scholfield
took keen hold, made all, ridden and pressed when better jump than rival last, stayed on well
Almaas (USA)
12- Form 4-5
- Age 6
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer K Bishop
- Jockey Conor Smith
held up in rear, still looked to be going ok when behind 4 out, stayed on from 2 out, never any chance with leaders
- Form 4-
- Age 5
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer A Sadik
- Jockey L Treadwell
towards rear, some headway 3 out, never on terms, weakened next, pulled up before last
- Form 8-
- Age 6
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer D Steele
- Jockey Freddie Mitchell
chased leaders, lost place after 4th, bad mistake next, soon pulled up
- Form 006-4
- Age 5
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer J Farrelly
- Jockey R P McLernon
tracked winner until 3 out, weakened after next
- Form 4-
- Age 4
- Weight 10-8
- Trainer T R Gretton
- Jockey James Davies
chased leaders until ridden and weakened after 2 out, tailed off
- Form 1-
- Age 4
- Weight 10-8
- Trainer Miss G Haywood
- Jockey Alice Mills
held up, behind 5th, stayed on after 2 out, never any chance
- Form 00P-
- Age 4
- Weight 10-8
- Trainer J G Portman
- Jockey G Sheehan
prominent until 5th, tailed off when pulled up before last
Verdict
Sharp tracks suit the free-going SET THE TREND and David Dennis' formerly-useful Flat performer should have too much pace for these, despite his double penalty. San Benedeto only beat one home when favourite at Cheltenham last month but that can't have been his true running as he'd beaten the subsequently-disqualified Worcester winner Nellies Quest at Wincanton earlier. Guard Of Honour won over course and distance last month before finding 2m4f too far at Ffos Las but shock Newton Abbot winner Hija would need more here and Dover The Moon might need this.
Formwatch
Set The Trend 4-7fav (11-5) Jumped well, raced keenly, held up in 4th, headway into 3rd 6th, not much room on inside 3 out, soon 2nd, led 2 out, clear before the last, ran on well, pushed out, won at Ludlow 2m nh nov hdl (4) gd in Apr beating Are They Your Own (10-5) by 3 1/2l, 5 ran.
Guard Of Honour (IRE) 4-1 (11-0) Tracked leaders, pulled hard, led 2nd, ran a bit wide and headed after 5th, ridden before 3 out, weakened flat, 6th of 8, 17l behind Mr Shantu (11-6) at Ffos Las 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-115 (4) gd in Apr.
San Benedeto (FR) 2-1fav (10-10) Took keen hold, held up mid-division in touch, tracked leaders 3rd, challenged on inside between last 2, every chance when not fluent and awkward on landing last, soon beaten and eased, 8th of 9, 29l behind Hurricane Hollow (10-12) at Cheltenham 2m 1f cond hcap hdle (3) gd in Apr.
Almaas (USA) 16-1 (10-11) Chased winner until before 2nd, weakened after next, struggling in last pair when went left 4 out, went badly left 2 out, blundered last, 5th of 7, 36l behind Sternrubin (10-10) at Exeter 2m 1f mdn hdl (4) gd.
Captain Starlight (IRE) 100-1 (10-12) Took keen hold, held up last, not fluent 3rd, modest 4th before 3 out where blundered and no further progress, tailed off, 4th of 5, well behind Set The Trend (11-5) at Ludlow 2m nh nov hdl (4) gd in Apr.
Everlasting Spring (IRE) 9-1 (11-12) Soon mid-division, not fluent jumping and pushed along at stages, reminders from 5 out, soon lost place and no danger, last of 16, well behind Bishopslough (11-4) at Thurles 2m gd in Oct '13.
My Scat Daddy (USA) 33-1 (10-7) Led and keen, headed 5th, weakened before 2 out, last of 8, 48l behind Lochalsh (10-4) at Wincanton 2m mdn hdl (4) gf in Apr.
Roderick Random 66-1 (11-0) Chased leaders, chased leading pair 3rd until 4 out, pushed along and weakened before next, 4th of 7, 29l behind Sternrubin (10-10) at Exeter 2m 1f mdn hdl (4) gd.
Dover The Moon (IRE) 100-1 (10-9) Tracked leaders in 4th and keen, jumped left 2nd, soon went 2nd until before 2 out, no extra and lost 3rd place close home, 4th of 5, 21l behind Full Day (10-12) at Sedgefield 2m 1f 3yo hdl (4) gd in Sep.
Hija 80-1 (10-1) Held up towards rear, headway after 3 out, went 2nd before 2 out, over 1 length down when went left last, ridden and stayed on run-in to lead last strides, won at Newton Abbot 2m 1f mdn hdl (5) gs in Apr beating Ice Tres (11-0) by hd, 12 ran.
Neshikot (IRE) 50-1 (10-7) Soon in rear, pushed along and struggling when mistake 4 out, soon lost touch, tailed off 3 out pulled up before next, in a race won by Mad Jack Mytton (11-4) at Kempton 2m nov hdl (4) gd in Apr, 9 ran.