Racecards
13:10 Ascot
Bgc Silver Cup Handicap Chase (listed) (Class 1)
- 18 Runners
- Distance: 3m
- Going: Good to Soft (Round Crs Soft plcs, Home Straight Good plcs)
- Surface: Turf
- £70,000 added
- Form 52U-16P
- Age 10
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 153
- Trainer P & M Bowen
- Jockey T J O'Brien
mid-division, hampered 3rd, bumped next, ridden after 15th, mistake next, soon weakened
- Form 47221-6
- Age 7
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 153
- Trainer P Hobbs & J White
- Jockey R Johnson
hit 1st, in touch until lost place 6th, ridden after 16th, kept on same pace from 3 out
- Form 8F3-PF0
- Age 10
- Weight 11-9
- Official Rating 150
- Trainer J Parkinson & S Smith
- Jockey S Durack
mid-division until 10th, soon behind, tailed off
- Form 217F-01
- Age 7
- Weight 11-6
- Official Rating 147
- Trainer P F Nicholls
- Jockey Ruby Walsh
never better than mid-division
- Form 64-2215
- Age 11
- Weight 11-5
- Official Rating 146
- Trainer J W Mullins
- Jockey W P Kavanagh
led until 7th, chased clear leader until 14th, ridden after next, one pace when stumbled 3 out
- Form 3/86-183
- Age 8
- Weight 11-3
- Official Rating 144
mid-division, mistake 15th, soon ridden, weakened 3 out
- Form 5313-6F
- Age 11
- Weight 11-2
- Official Rating 143
- Trainer J & A O'Neill
- Jockey A P McCoy
always behind, tailed off and pulled up before 11th
Copsale Lad
35- Form 12123-P
- Age 9
- Weight 11-2
- Official Rating 143
- Trainer N J Henderson
- Jockey M A Fitzgerald
in touch, badly hampered 3rd, lost confidence and never going after, behind and pulled up after 10th
- Form UF0-1P0
- Age 7
- Weight 10-13
- Official Rating 140
- Trainer N & W Twiston-Davies
- Jockey Mr D England
chased leader, led 7th, 16l clear 11th, jumped badly left after, headed 15th, pressed leaders, ridden and stumbled 3 out, one pace from next
- Form 2549-23
- Age 9
- Weight 10-13
- Official Rating 140
- Trainer P Hobbs & J White
- Jockey B Fenton
chased leaders, led 15th until 17th, soon ridden, no chance with winner from 2 out
- Form U/2163-5
- Age 8
- Weight 10-12
- Official Rating 139
- Trainer C R Egerton
- Jockey Paul Moloney
held up behind, steady headway from 15th, ridden into 4th after 3 out, kept on same pace
- Form 3419U-5
- Age 7
- Weight 10-12
- Official Rating 139
- Trainer H D Daly
- Jockey L P Aspell
in touch, badly hampered 3rd and lost place, steady headway from 12th, led 17th, drew well clear after 3 out, readily
Backbeat (IRE)
336- Form 11FP/24-
- Age 9
- Weight 10-9
- Official Rating 136
- Trainer J Howard Johnson
- Jockey P J Brennan
mid-division until weakened after 17th
- Form 31P1-11
- Age 7
- Weight 10-8
- Official Rating 135
- Trainer Miss H C Knight
- Jockey Timmy Murphy
held up and always behind, lost touch 11th, tailed off and pulled up before 15th
- Form 67F5P-2
- Age 10
- Weight 10-8
- Official Rating 135
- Trainer N J Henderson
- Jockey D J Casey
in touch when blundered badly and unseated rider 3rd
- Form 33P63-F
- Age 10
- Weight 10-7
- Official Rating 134
- Trainer A King
- Jockey R Thornton
in touch when badly hampered and unseated rider 3rd
- Form 00/00P-4
- Age 10
- Weight 10-3
- Official Rating 130
- Trainer D Pipe
- Jockey T Scudamore
chased leaders, ridden after 16th, gradually faded
- Form F/3F135-
- Age 9
- Weight 10-3
- Official Rating 130
- Trainer D Pipe
- Jockey A Glassonbury
in touch, blundered badly 2nd and nearly unseated rider, badly hampered next, not recover and pulled up before 5th
In depth
Verdict
From a cracking good line-up for this valuable chase, Copsale Lad is selected ahead of Fork Lightning and Windsor Boy. Last season's Gold Cup fifth Take The Stand is certainly not out of things from his current rating. Neither is the Betfred Gold Cup winner Lacdoudal. Nicky Henderson's Copsale Lad could be on a fair mark based on his Aintree third to Star de Mohaison and Ardaghey has possibly been unlucky in his last two runs since looking good when scoring at Cheltenham. He is not out of it. Graphic Approach's fine seasonal return, when fifth in the Paddy Power Gold Cup, brings him right into things, while Billyvoddan holds good claims based on his best novice form of last year and blinkers might just sharpen up his act. Harris Bay comes here in very good form but a nine pounds rise for his latest win will further test him, while Iris Royal ran a blinder to finish second at Fakenham after a long absence and can be given a good chance based on old form. Fork Lightning is another that has dropped to a very good mark if anywhere near his best and, with his trainer having won a big race with a long-time absentee last week, he has to be considered too. Windsor Boy also sneaks in at the right end of the weights and, in truth, there are plenty of possible options for this valuable race, as indeed there should be, including Clan Royal, who is unlucky not to have won a Grand National, and the 2005 Betfred Gold Cup third Kelami. Overall, though, we will side with Copsale Lad.
Formwatch
Take The Stand (IRE) 16-1 (11-11) Prominent, led 3rd, headed 14th, soon weakened and pulled up 4 out in race won by My Will (11-6) at Cheltenham 3m 3f hcp chs Grd 3 (1) gs in Nov, 12 ran.
Lacdoudal (FR) 7-1 (11-12) Tracked leaders, chased leaders 4 out, gradually faded, 6th of 12, 22l behind My Will (11-6) at Cheltenham 3m 3f hcp chs Grd 3 (1) gs in Nov.
Royal Emperor (IRE) 25-1 (11-3) Led to 8th, weakening when hit 3 out, 10th of 17, 36l behind Halcon Genelardais (10-2) at Haydock 2m 7f hcp hdl (2) gs in Nov.
Cornish Sett (IRE) 7-4jt-fav (11-7) Chased leader, challenge from 3 out, led just after last, ridden out, won at Cheltenham 3m Grad Ch (2) gs in Nov beating Fundamentalist (11-7) by a nk, 4 ran.
See You Sometime 9-1 (10-11) Tracked leaders, ridden and weakened after 3 out, 5th of 11, 13l behind Demi Beau (10-6) at Ascot 2m 1f hcp chs (2) sft in Nov.
Kelami (FR) (10-8) In touch throughout, kept on, 3rd of 7, 4 1/2l behind Moka De L'isle (10-8) at Auteuil 2m 5f chs hvy in Nov.
Clan Royal (FR) 7-1 (11-8) fell in race won by Eurotrek (11-7) at Aintree 3m 2f lst hcp chs (1) gd in Nov, 21 ran.
Copsale Lad 5-1 (11-6) In touch, badly hampered and lost place 8th, behind when pulled up 4 out in race won by Exotic Dancer (11-2) at Cheltenham 2m 4f hcp chs Grd 3 (1) gs in Nov, 16 ran.
Ardaghey (IRE) 11-1 (10-11) Held up in rear, never dangerous, 11th of 15, 44l behind D'Argent (10-5) at Cheltenham 3m 1f lst hcp chs (1) sft.
Zabenz (NZ) 5-1 (11-0) In touch, not fluent 5th, challenged 12th, soon outpaced, 3rd of 4, 27l behind Star De Mohaison (11-10) at Sandown 3m Grad Ch (2) gs.
Graphic Approach (IRE) 14-1 (11-2) Held up in touch, ridden to chase leaders 4 out, one pace, 5th of 16, 10l behind Exotic Dancer (11-2) at Cheltenham 2m 4f hcp chs Grd 3 (1) gs in Nov.
Billyvoddan (IRE) 10-1 (11-4) Held up mid-division, mistake 8th, soon ridden and beaten, 5th of 9, 23l behind Cerium (11-8) at Ascot 2m 3f hcp chs Grd 2 (1) sft in Nov.
Backbeat (IRE) 15-2 (11-12) Mid-division, headway 4 out, ridden to chase leaders next, kept on same pace from 2 out, 4th of 11, 16l behind Be My Better Half (10-9) at Carlisle 2m 4f hcp chs 0-140 (2) hvy in Jan.
Harris Bay 8-1 (11-1) Held up and very patiently ridden, closer order on inside 14th, steady headway from 3 out, ridden 2 out, led flat, won at Ascot 3m hcp chs 0-145 (2) gs in Nov beating Lou Du Moulin Mas (10-13) by 1 1/2l, 11 ran.
Iris Royal (FR) 8-1 (11-10) Chased leader, every chance 4 out, soon outpaced, ran on well run-in, 2nd of 8, nk behind Herecomestanley (10-0) at Fakenham 2m 5f hcp chs 0-135 (3) gs.
Fork Lightning (IRE) 12-1 (11-1) 1st fell in race won by Parsons Legacy (10-5) at Wincanton 3m 1f lst hcp chs (1) gd in Nov, 12 ran.
Iznogoud (FR) 33-1 (11-9) Held up in touch, ridden to chase leaders 5 out, weakened 3 out, 4th of 11, 33l behind Harris Bay (11-1) at Ascot 3m hcp chs 0-145 (2) gs in Nov.
Windsor Boy (IRE) 12-1 (10-3) Prominent, mistake 12th, soon ridden and lost place, stayed on again from 2 out, 5th of 24, 17l behind Non So (11-3) at Cheltenham 2m 5f hcp chs Grd 3 (1) gd in Mar.