Racecards
15:10 Exeter
Best Mate Beginners' Chase (Class 4)
- 6 Runners
- Distance: 2m 1f 110y
- Going: Good
- Surface: Turf
- £10,000 added
- Form 32/1388-
- Age 7
- Weight 11-6
- Trainer J A Geake
- Jockey M Bradburne
held up but in touch, headway 6th, effort approaching 4 out, soon one pace
- Form F8-5P52
- Age 8
- Weight 11-6
- Official Rating 105
- Trainer R J Hodges
- Jockey T Scudamore
with leader, chased leading pair after 8th, close 3rd when slipped, blundered badly and unseated rider 4 out
Down The Stretch
131- Form 6P/74-PF
- Age 6
- Weight 11-6
- Official Rating 98
held up in touch, ridden after 7th, soon outpaced
- Form 51402-F
- Age 7
- Weight 11-6
- Trainer O Sherwood
- Jockey L P Aspell
led, ridden and headed 3 out, soon held, edged right run-in
- Form 114361-
- Age 5
- Weight 11-6
- Trainer P F Nicholls
- Jockey Ruby Walsh
tracked leaders, good jump to go 2nd after 8th, joined leader next, led 3 out, ran on, readily
- Form 6-026P5
- Age 4
- Weight 10-7
- Trainer B G Powell
- Jockey S Hudson
soon struggling, reminders after 3rd, lost touch 6th, held off and pulled up before 4 out
In depth
Verdict
In a race named after the much-missed three-time Cheltenham Gold Cup winner,Best Mate, Natal gets a confident vote ahead of Manorson and Charlton Kings. Quite simply, having achieved a rating 142 over hurdles - he was a Grade 2 winner at Aintree in April - Natal looks to be a different class to his rivals today. Black Hills best hurdling moment came at this track around a year ago and he might go well, but Charlton Kings, second to Cherub last time in a novices' chase, looks a stronger place contender. A 125-rated winning hurdler and runner-up at the Punchestown Festival in April, Manorson is respected, even though he fell on his chasing debut, but the others could not be strongly considered for win purposes. All of which returns us to the selection, which is Natal.
Formwatch
Black Hills 25-1 (10-13) Blundered 1st, held up in touch, weakened after 4 out, well behind when hit next, 8th of 11, 25l behind Motorway (10-12) at Newbury 2m hcp hdl 0-135 (3) gd in Mar.
Charlton Kings (IRE) 11-1 (11-6) Prominent, led after 9th, pecked badly 3 out, ridden when not fluent last, headed flat, ran on, 2nd of 6, nk behind Cherub (11-6) at Towcester 2m beg chs (4) gd.
Down The Stretch 40-1 (10-9) Held up in mid-division, chased leader 7th, pecked 9th, mistake 11th, led 4 out until fell 2 out in race won by Sesame Rambler (10-12) at N Abbot 2m 5f beg chs (5) gf in Jun, 7 ran.
Manorson (IRE) 10-11fav (11-0) Led, headed before 3rd, remained prominent until fell at the 6th in race won by Cool Roxy (10-11) at Fakenham 2m beg chs (4) gf in May, 7 ran.
Natal (FR) 7-2jt-fav (11-3) Settled in rear, headway 7th, challenged 2 out, soon led, stayed on well, won at Aintree 2m 4f nov hdl Grd 2 (1) gd in Apr beating Blazing Bailey (10-7) by 1 1/2l, 11 ran.
Wembury Point (IRE) 9-1 (10-7) Chased leader, led 10th to 11th, ridden after 12th, weakened 13th, 5th of 7, well behind Royal Katidoki (11-0) at Ludlow 2m 4f beg chs (4) gf.