Racecards
13:50 Catterick
racinguk.com Beginners' Chase (Class 4)
- 9 Runners
- Distance: 2m 3f
- Going: Good
- Surface: Turf
- £7,000 added
- Winner: £4,549
- 2nd: £1,336
- 3rd: £668
- 4th: £334
- Form 2/211P-4
- Age 6
- Weight 11-0
- Official Rating 129
- Trainer Evan Williams
- Jockey Paul Moloney
chased leaders, mistake 4 out, pushed along and stayed on to 3rd 3 out, ridden and keeping on same pace when hung left under pressure before last, no chance with leading pair
Croco Bay (IRE)
173- Form 614-21P
- Age 6
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer P Atkinson
- Jockey R McGrath
chased leaders lost place after 7th struggling in dispute of 5th, when badly bumped 10th, blundered 4 out
- Form 31144-5
- Age 7
- Weight 11-0
- Official Rating 110
always behind, tailed off when blundered 4 out
- Form 0304-43
- Age 5
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer J M Jefferson
- Jockey B S Hughes
jumped well, chased leader, led 8th, driven flat, strongly pressed close home, kept on gamely
- Form 22124-3
- Age 6
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer J & A O'Neill
- Jockey A P McCoy
not always fluent, in touch headway to chase leaders 7th, pushed along after 4 out, went 2nd before next, driven and no impression before last, hit last, stayed on strongly in closing stages, just held
- Form P9-P37U
- Age 7
- Weight 11-0
- Official Rating 109
- Trainer J Wade
- Jockey Mr John Dawson
in rear, blundered 5th never on terms, tailed off when blundered 2 out
- Form 3/4418-0
- Age 6
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer N G Richards
- Jockey B P Harding
soon off the pace in last trio, reminders before stumbled 6th, no chance when blundered 10th, tailed off, blundered 2 out
- Form F/8000-P
- Age 9
- Weight 11-0
- Official Rating 124
- Trainer T Coyle & K Wood
- Jockey D C Costello
held up in 6th, mistake 9th, disputing 5th when went badly left 10th, went modest 4th 2 out
- Form 5/6001-4
- Age 6
- Weight 11-0
- Official Rating 122
- Trainer D McCain Jnr
- Jockey J M Maguire
led, slow 1st, blundered badly 3rd, ridden and headed 8th, chased winner, blundered 10th, ridden afer 4 out, soon lost 2nd, weakening when mistake 3 out, blundered next, tailed off
In depth
Verdict
It would be no surprise to see a shock in this as the main contenders didn't jump well on their chasing debuts. However, HOLYWELL has to be given another chance as he was in a different class to these over hurdles. The Pertemps winner and runner-up to Solwhit in a Grade 1 at Aintree, he never jumped with any fluency on his chasing bow at Carlisle but the ground here will be much quicker which should be a help. Barrakilla is the obvious threat though he also made mistakes at Exeter. He is a point-to-point winner so should be capable of further improvement this season. Scarlet Fire has won a bumper and a novice hurdle but has always been more likely to make a chaser so he could figure with Forty Crown looking the best of the remainder.
Formwatch
Barrakilla (IRE) 3-1 (11-3) Held up in touch, effort approaching 4 out, hung left and no extra 3 out, blundered 2 out, left 4th at the last, 4th of 6, 3 1/2l behind Red Riverman (10-9) at Exeter 2m 1f (3) gs in Oct.
Croco Bay (IRE) 13-2 (11-7) Led, not fluent 8th, soon headed, weakened after 3 out, mistake 2 out, pulled up before last, in a race won by Killala Quay (10-12) at Aintree 2m 4f nh nov hdl (4) gs in Jun, 8 ran.
Forty Crown (IRE) 7-1 (10-11) Held up mid-division, went 4th before 3 out, soon outpaced, no impression from next, 5th of 10, 16l behind Flicka Williams (11-12) at Wetherby 3m 1f hcp hdl 0-120 (4) gs in Nov.
Hi George 7-2fav (11-10) Tracked leaders, hit 5th, led before last, ridden and headed run-in, kept on and lost 2nd place towards finish, 3rd of 10, 2l behind Cruachan (10-6) at Hexham 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-120 (4) gd in Jun.
Holywell (IRE) 4-5fav (11-2) Prominent, jumped left, mistake and lost place 2nd, jumped left at times after, not fluent 4th, slow 5th, not fluent 8th and given reminder, driven along before 4 out, no impression, went 3rd from last, 3rd of 4, 9l behind Many Clouds (11-2) at Carlisle 2m 4f beg chs (4) hvy in Nov.
Jukebox Melody (IRE) 20-1 (11-4) Towards rear, mistake and unseated rider 7 out, in a race won by Hollow Blue Sky (11-2) at Carlisle 2m 4f nov hcp chs 0-110 (4) sft in Oct, 14 ran.
Scarlet Fire (IRE) 40-1 (10-13) Towards rear, outpaced 4 out, never dangerous, 10th of 20, 43l behind Thomas Crapper (11-3) at Cheltenham 2m 5f hcp hdl 0-140 (3) gd in Nov.
Son Of Flicka 9-1 (10-12) Held up in rear, slow 10th, soon weakened, behind when pulled up 2 out, in a race won by Dursey Sound (10-12) at Bangor 2m 4f nov chs (4) gs in Oct, 7 ran.
Star In Flight 18-1 (11-1) Chased leaders, went 2nd after 3rd, led before 5th, headed next, mistake 3 out, soon weakened, 4th of 9, 47l behind Up To Something (11-5) at Carlisle 2m (3) gd in Oct.