Racecards
16:00 Exeter
Marlborough Bookshop And Sporting Gallery Handicap Hurdle (Class F) (Class F)
- 13 Runners
- Distance: 3m 110y
- Going: Good, Good to Soft in places
- Form 1F505-0
- Age 8
- Weight 11-12
- Trainer Mrs L Taylor
- Jockey R Johnson
tracked leaders, led 6th until next, led 8th, clear 2 out, not fluent last, comfortably
- Form P06451-
- Age 6
- Weight 11-11
went violently left start, soon prominent, led approaching 7th, headed next, ridden and weakened quickly after 10th, pulled up before next
- Form 3300-50
- Age 11
- Weight 11-9
- Trainer Dr P Pritchard
- Jockey Dr P Pritchard
led until 6th, gradually faded, tailed off
Romero
15- Form 04556-4
- Age 8
- Weight 11-8
- Trainer P Chamings
- Jockey Timmy Murphy
behind, tailed off 9th, headway approaching 3 out, stayed on, never on terms
- Form 464P2-0
- Age 8
- Weight 11-7
- Trainer C Down
- Jockey Mr D Edwards
in touch until 4th, soon behind, tailed off and pulled up after 10th
- Form 430/0P-0
- Age 8
- Weight 11-7
- Trainer J Old
- Jockey Wayne Hutchinson
in touch until weakened 8th, tailed off and pulled up before 3 out
- Form 1/P0F05-
- Age 9
- Weight 11-5
- Trainer A W Carroll
- Jockey N D Fehily
mid-division until weakened approaching 10th, behind and pulled up before 3 out
- Form 0/0005-1
- Age 6
- Weight 11-3
- Trainer N & W Twiston-Davies
- Jockey C Llewellyn
held up in touch, headway approaching 10th, soon ridden, not fluent and hampered 3 out, one pace after
- Form P1P004-
- Age 6
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer C Roberts
- Jockey Christian Williams
in touch until 7th, soon behind, pulled up after 10th
- Form 40024-
- Age 4
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer Miss E C Lavelle
- Jockey Jimmy McCarthy
hampered start, behind, headway 4th, went 2nd 10th, slightly hampered 3 out, soon ridden, mistake next, weakened
- Form 600/64-5
- Age 11
- Weight 10-3
- Trainer J Frost
- Jockey Mr A Glassonbury
held up towards rear, headway 9th, chased winner and mistake 3 out, soon ridden and one pace
- Form 620PP-P
- Age 13
- Weight 10-0
- Trainer J Payne
- Jockey T Scudamore
held up rear, headway 8th, ridden and outpaced after 10th, stayed on from 2 out
- Form U211P/P-
- Age 8
- Weight 10-0
- Trainer S Sherwood
- Jockey James Davies
chased leaders, ridden from 5th, weakened after 8th, soon behind, pulled up before 3 out
In depth
Verdict
It's hard to be dogmatic in attempting to nominate the winner of this tricky affair but maybe Withthelads can get the better of Gazump and, possibly, Romero and Starlight Express. The selection ended last season on a high when fitted with first-time blinkers. A rise of nine pounds in the ratings might not stop him and the booking of Tony McCoy for this lightly-raced gelding also inspires confidence. Gazump has a similar profile to the selection so it was hard to choose between them. Starlight Express and Romero are others who are due serious thought to but, for us, it's best to stick with Withthelads.