Racecards
15:20 Cartmel
Burlington Slate Cartmel Grand Veterans National Handicap Chase (Class D)
- 11 Runners
- Distance: 3m 6f
- Going: Good, Good to Soft in places
- Form U21U12-
- Age 10
- Weight 11-12
held up towards rear, mistake 10th, headway approaching 15th, ridden 3 out, went 2nd next, blundered last, no extra flat
Grate Deel (IRE)
217- Form 14141P-
- Age 13
- Weight 11-2
- Trainer J Parkinson & S Smith
- Jockey S Stronge
tracked leader, led 9th to 11th, weakened approaching 4 out
- Form 32/P4-22
- Age 11
- Weight 11-1
- Trainer T R George
- Jockey J M Maguire
in touch, reminders approaching 9th, dropped rear 11th, soon weakened, tailed off when pulled up before 16th
- Form 115P5-5
- Age 10
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer H Morrison
- Jockey Jimmy McCarthy
led to 9th, led again 11th, headed after 14th, every chance 4 out, ridden next, hit 2 out, one pace flat
- Form 21P4/40-
- Age 11
- Weight 10-6
- Trainer C Weedon
- Jockey Jim Crowley
towards rear, weakened halfway, tailed off when pulled up before 16th
- Form 1220-30
- Age 13
- Weight 10-4
tracked leaders, outpaced approaching 4 out, kept on same pace flat
- Form 146/3-2P
- Age 12
- Weight 10-0
- Trainer A Whillans
- Jockey Xavier Aizpuru
in touch, ridden 4 out, effort when hit 2 out, stayed on strongly flat, led towards finish
- Form PPP-660
- Age 12
- Weight 10-0
- Trainer J Hetherton
- Jockey P Aspell
headway to lead after 14th, headed approaching 3 out, 4th and beaten when hit last
- Form 60262-P
- Age 12
- Weight 10-0
- Trainer Ferdy Murphy
- Jockey A Dempsey
midfield, pushed along 11th, hit 13th, headway 5 out, lead approaching 3 out, 15 lengths clear flat, idled and headed towards finish
- Form 13023-3
- Age 11
- Weight 10-0
- Trainer J Pickering
- Jockey James Davies
tailed off halfway, pulled up before 16th
- Form 4044-0P
- Age 12
- Weight 10-0
tailed off halfway, pulled up before 14th
In depth
Verdict
With plenty of these out of the handicap proper it could pay to concentrate on the top four in the weights who are Ballystone, Act In Time, Great Deel and Pessimistic Dick with preference going to course and distance winner Great Deel. The 13-year-old has been given the winter off and being a horse who runs well fresh could rate a value bet on ground he will relish. Ballystone has the best form in the race and hails from an in-form yard but looks handicapped up to his best and may struggle around this course under top weight. Act In Time looks to be the biggest danger to the selection based on his performance last time out when beaten by just two lengths at Kelso. His stable is flying at present and is another who will relish the underfoot conditions. Course winner Pessimistic Dick can not be ruled out though the ground will be a slight worry for connections.