Racecards
12:55 Towcester
totepool Merry Christmas Handicap Chase (Class 5)
- 9 Runners
- Distance: 2m 3f 179y
- Going: Good to Soft (Soft in places)
- Surface: Turf
- £5,000 added
- Winner: £3,249
- 2nd: £954
- 3rd: £477
- 4th: £238
- Form 5-432P6
- Age 6
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 97
- Trainer Mrs Caroline Bailey
- Jockey Harry Skelton
held up in rear, slow 6th, outpaced after 4 out, stayed on under pressure after 2 out, nearest finish
- Form 1/845-32
- Age 6
- Weight 11-11
- Official Rating 96
- Trainer Tim Vaughan
- Jockey Alan Johns
behind, never jumped well, headway under pressure 4 out, hampered next, weakened 2 out
- Form P/336UU-
- Age 8
- Weight 11-10
- Official Rating 95
- Trainer P R Webber
- Jockey R P McLernon
behind, headway 5 out, chased winner after next, kept on well
- Form PP1-551
- Age 8
- Weight 11-1
- Official Rating 86
- Trainer R Dickin
- Jockey J M Quinlan
held up in touch on inside, headway when mistake 8th, soon ridden, chased leaders 3 out, faded last
- Form 444627
- Age 10
- Weight 11-1
- Official Rating 86
- Trainer Julia Brooke
- Jockey Henry Brooke
chased leaders, weakened 9th, rallied 2 out, never able to challenge
- Form 44-F653
- Age 9
- Weight 10-13
- Official Rating 84
- Trainer A Phillips
- Jockey James Banks
tracked leader, weakened after 7th, soon behind, tailed off when pulled up 3 out
- Form 615-534
- Age 12
- Weight 10-3
- Official Rating 74
- Trainer R H Buckler
- Jockey Sean Houlihan
made all, 5 lengths clear halfway, hard driven 2 out, stayed on well
- Form 6-85674
- Age 8
- Weight 10-0
- Official Rating 71
- Trainer A W Carroll
- Jockey Lee Edwards
chased leaders, mistake 7th, under pressure when blundered and unseated rider 3 out
Onurbike
392- Form 8P4/PPU-
- Age 9
- Weight 10-0
- Official Rating 69
- Trainer J G O'Neill
- Jockey Jordan Nailor
in touch, mistake 3rd, lost place 7th, blundered next, soon behind, pulled up before 2 out
Verdict
Winning form around here is always a plus and SOME FINISH has scored twice at the track over longer trips. He’s been raised the obligatory 6lb since his latest success, when Heurtevent was well beaten, but is still on a winning mark. Ballyegan is a previous course and distance winner on a lenient mark nowadays, though hasn’t won under Rules in more than two years. Normandy King has been placed in both starts since returning from a break but it’s difficult to make a case for many of the others.
Formwatch
Edward Elgar 7-1 (11-12) Tracked leaders, lost place before 9th, blundered baldy 10th, behind 4 out, 6th of 7, 28 1/2l behind Some Finish (10-9) at Towcester 2m 6f hcp (5) gd in Nov.
Normandy King (IRE) 7-2 (11-4) Tracked leaders, led after 2nd, headed 3rd, tracked leader, led before 4 out, headed before 2 out, one pace, 2nd of 8, 14l behind Knocknamona (10-4) at Uttoxeter 2m 4f hcp (4) hvy in Nov.
Very Live (FR) 8-1 (11-9) Mid-division and pushed along, pecked badly and unseated rider 1st, at Huntingdon 2m 4f hcp (5) gs in Mar.
Some Finish (IRE) 9-4fav (10-9) Held up on inside, jumped right and hit brush upright of fence 2nd, closed 6th, led after 3 out, jumped right 2 out and went clear last, all out, won at Towcester 2m 6f hcp (5) gd in Nov beating Belmont Park (11-11) by 1 3/4l, 7 ran.
More Madness (IRE) 13-2 (11-1) Tracked leaders, lost place before 9th, 7th of 11, 23 1/4l behind Frank The Slink (10-4) at Hexham 3m hcp (5) sft in Nov.
Presenting William (IRE) 100-1 (11-2) Jumped left, took keen hold on outside, chased leaders, lost place 4th, struggling when not fluent 7th, behind 10th, left very remote 3rd 2 out, 3rd of 7, dist behind Rocklander (11-2) at Ludlow 2m 4f (4) gs in Nov.
Ballyegan (IRE) 8-1 (10-1) Tracked leader, led 3rd, headed 8th, ridden and weakened before 3 out, 4th of 8, 30l behind More Than Luck (11-10) at Taunton 2m 7f hcp (5) gd in Nov.
Heurtevent (FR) 12-1 (10-5) Held up, headway 4th, close up 6th, driven after 4 out, 4th and beaten before 2 out, no extra, 4th of 7, 21 3/4l behind Some Finish (10-9) at Towcester 2m 6f hcp (5) gd in Nov.
Onurbike 50-1 (10-3) Mid-division on outside, mistake and unseated rider 4th, at Towcester 2m 6f hcp (5) gs in Nov.