Racecards
20:25 Epsom Downs
Drivers Jonas Claiming Stakes (Class E) (Class E)
- 8 Runners
- Distance: 1m 114y
- Going: None specified
Ben Hur
5- Form 010211
- Age 5
- Weight 9-5
- Trainer W Brisbourne
- Jockey S W Kelly
soon led, clear from 5f out, ridden and wandered under pressure from 3f out, weakened and headed over 1f out, no extra final furlong
- Form 635-000
- Age 4
- Weight 9-3
tracked clear leading pair, hard ridden to close and hung left from 2f out, kept on final furlong, never reached leaders
Tojoneski
10- Form 222334
- Age 5
- Weight 9-3
- Trainer I McInnes
- Jockey J F McDonald
soon pressed leader and clear of rest, challenged from 3f out, led over 1f out, no extra and headed final strides
- Form 200036
- Age 7
- Weight 9-2
- Trainer P Mitchell
- Jockey T P Queally
dwelt, well in rear, closed under pressure but still plenty to do 2f out, stayed on final furlong, edged left, led final strides
- Form 350064
- Age 6
- Weight 8-13
raced in 7th well off the pace, struggling final 3f
Gameset'n'match
311- Form 02065-
- Age 3
- Weight 8-7
raced in 6th and well off the pace, weakened and behind final 3f
- Form 223002
- Age 3
- Weight 8-4
raced in 5th, well off the pace, ridden 5f out, closed on outside from 3f out, ran on well final furlong, just held
In depth
Verdict
An awful contest and one where stakes should be kept to a minimum, but we will take the in form Ben Hur to continue his momentum against this field, who are all performing below par. Despite being rated a fair bit below some of these rivals officially, Ben Hur has enjoyed a good spring, winning at Leicester and more recently both Ayr and Chester off this sort of mark in selling company and then in a claimer. This is his optimum trip, while good ground suits and with the confidence he will have gained from those successes he looks up to the task of completing the hat-trick. Archerfield ran much better last time with the tongue strap applied for the first time, and John Hills' filly can again go well over a trip she is best at, whilst of the others Tojoneski steps up in class after some decent efforts in both banded and Class F company, but if he could not win those races then it's very hard to see him being good enough for anything other than another place here. The selection here then is Ben Hur to outbattle his opponents.