Racecards
19:35 Chepstow
John Smith's Handicap (Class 5)
- 11 Runners
- Distance: 1m 14y
- Going: Soft
- Surface: Turf
- £5,000 added
- Form 854-868
- Age 5
- Weight 10-0
- Official Rating 66
- Trainer P W Hiatt
- Jockey William Carson
chased leaders, ridden 4f out, weakened 2f out
- Form 455373
- Age 5
- Weight 10-0
- Official Rating 69
- Trainer P D Evans
- Jockey Richard Evans
steadied start, ridden and headway over 2f out, plugged on one pace
Addiena
18- Form 463
- Age 4
- Weight 9-11
- Official Rating 66
- Trainer B Palling
- Jockey Catherine Gannon
chased leaders and keen, weakened over 2f out
- Form 00-4560
- Age 7
- Weight 9-10
- Official Rating 65
- Trainer B Palling
- Jockey Saleem Golam
led, headed well over 2f out, weakened
- Form 433827
- Age 4
- Weight 9-9
- Official Rating 64
- Trainer A W Carroll
- Jockey J Millman
tracked leaders, ridden to lead well over 2f out, under pressure and edged right, headed well inside final furlong
- Form 502738
- Age 6
- Weight 9-9
- Official Rating 64
- Trainer J Pearce
- Jockey Simon Pearce
mid-division, weakened over 2f out
- Form 451241
- Age 7
- Weight 9-9
- Official Rating 62
- Trainer A W Carroll
- Jockey M Coumbe
held up, headway 2f out, stayed on, never troubled front trio
- Form 544-214
- Age 5
- Weight 9-8
- Official Rating 63
- Trainer W S Kittow
- Jockey F Sweeney
in touch, headway 3f out, ridden and every chance over 1f out, one pace
- Form 217050
- Age 4
- Weight 9-8
- Official Rating 63
always well behind
- Form 093474
- Age 8
- Weight 9-0
- Official Rating 55
- Trainer F Jordan
- Jockey P Fitzsimons
held up mid-division, headway over 2f out, strongly ridden and edging right when led well inside final furlong
- Form 5/9-6297
- Age 9
- Weight 8-13
- Official Rating 54
- Trainer C Roberts
- Jockey David Probert
in touch, weakened over 2f out
In depth
Verdict
Ermine Grey and Dancing Storm are on the short list here, but preference is for Indian Edge, who relishes these conditions and can win again. Four times a winner on soft ground and over this mile trip, Indian Edge has not exactly been in red hot form of late. However, he does like it here and he is back below his last winning mark, and he may well represent better value than either of the likely market leaders. Ermine Grey won over c&d last time and now carries a penalty. That will make this pretty tough, but he acts on most ground so he can again go well. Dancing Storm got the better of Ermine Grey here on soft ground in May and is weighted to finish in front of that rival again, though her current mark may be enough to stop her winning again. Libre won from a 4lb higher mark than today's on fast ground here last year, so he is respected, though the going is not ideal. There is a stamina doubt with Memphis Man, but Addiena might get into it if handling the ground, though we prefer the claims of stablemate Indian Edge.
Formwatch
Very Well Red 18-1 (9-13) Mid-division, ridden 2f out, weakened final furlong, 8th of 12, 14l behind Aussie Blue (9-0) at Pontefract 1m hcp 0-75 (5) gd in Jun.
Memphis Man 9-1 (8-13) Started slowly, in touch far side, ridden and every chance 1f out, no extra, one pace inside final furlong, 3rd of 14, 1l behind Kelamon (9-4) at Windsor 6f app hcp (5) sft.
Addiena 25-1 (9-7) Led, headed after 3f, ridden over 2f out, one pace, 3rd of 8, 4 1/2l behind Light From Mars (9-2) at Chepstow 1m mdn stk (5) gf in Jun.
Indian Edge 12-1 (8-13) Led, ridden and headed over 4f out, weakened over 2f out, 12th of 14, 21l behind Willow Dancer (9-4) at Bath 1m hcap (5) gd in Jun.
Lordship (IRE) 3-1fav (9-3) Mid-division, headway over 3f out, soon ridden, weakened over 1f out, 7th of 9, 12l behind Sacrilege (8-13) at Haydock 1m hcp 0-75 (5) sft.
Hits Only Cash 4-1co-fav (9-5) In rear, pushed along 4f out, never a factor, 8th of 12, 9l behind Parthenope (8-5) at Kempton 1m app hcp (6) pol in Jun.
Ermine Grey 9-1 (8-10) Steadied and held up, well behind halfway, ridden and headway 3f out, edging right and led inside final furlong, stayed on, won at Chepstow 1m hcp 0-75 (5) gf beating Yathreb (9-6) by a hd, 8 ran.
Dancing Storm 9-2fav (9-9) Keen tracking leaders, ridden 3f out, weakened final furlong, 4th of 14, 2 1/2l behind Maybe I Will (9-0) at Bath 1m fll hcp (5) gf in Jun.
Tinnarinka 14-1 (9-4) Led and keen, headed over 4f out, weakened 2f out, 10th of 11, 29l behind Prime Number (9-3) at Kempton 1m 2f app hcp (4) pol in Jun.
Libre 17-2 (9-0) Mid-division, ridden over 2f out, stayed on final furlong, never able to challenge, 4th of 14, 5l behind Constant Cheers (8-13) at Warwick 1m 3f hcp 0-65 (6) gf in Jun.
Queen Excalibur 16-1 (7-9) Led, clear over 5f out, headed over 1f out, soon weakened, 7th of 8, 9l behind Friends Hope (9-4) at Chepstow 1m 2f hcp 0-75 (5) gf in Jun.