Racecards
15:20 Exeter
Brian Heard 70th Celebration Handicap Chase (Class 3)
- 9 Runners
- Distance: 2m 7f 110y
- Going: Good to Soft
- Surface: Turf
- £11,000 added
- Form 358115
- Age 8
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 125
- Trainer R H & Mrs S Alner
- Jockey D A Jacob
mid-division, ridden and outpaced 12 to after 4 out, stayed on well from 3 out, ran on well flat, just failed
- Form 775313
- Age 10
- Weight 11-7
- Official Rating 120
- Trainer R H & Mrs S Alner
- Jockey R Walford
led 2nd, ridden 4 out, held on gamely under pressure from 2 out
- Form 6/P-PP11
- Age 9
- Weight 11-1
- Official Rating 121
- Trainer Andrew Turnell
- Jockey M D Grant
led to 2nd, prominent, mistake 12th, weakened approaching 4 out
- Form 1P-P6PP
- Age 7
- Weight 10-11
- Official Rating 110
- Trainer J & A O'Neill
- Jockey N D Fehily
in touch, some headway 12th, one pace
- Form 074/487
- Age 7
- Weight 10-9
- Official Rating 108
- Trainer P Hobbs & J White
- Jockey R Johnson
mid-division, headway after 10th, every chance 4 out, ridden and found nil 3 out, soon weakened, pulled up before last
- Form P-1U3P8
- Age 8
- Weight 10-7
- Official Rating 106
- Trainer C Llewellyn
- Jockey T J O'Brien
pulled early in mid-division, blundered 8th, ridden and outpaced 10th, stayed on from 2 out
- Form P1P1FP
- Age 11
- Weight 10-6
- Official Rating 105
- Trainer B J M Ryall
- Jockey O Nelmes
prominent, hit 1st, ridden and lost place 10th, weakened after 4 out
- Form 21/P3F3
- Age 8
- Weight 10-6
- Official Rating 105
- Trainer Miss V Williams
- Jockey S Thomas
held up, mistake 2nd, headway approaching 10th, chased leader 12th, challenged 4 out, weakened next, pulled up before last
- Form 664222
- Age 9
- Weight 10-1
- Official Rating 100
towards rear, mistake 6th, ridden and headway approaching 4 out, kept on well from 2 out
In depth
Verdict
This time we're going to side with the in-form Andy Turnell runner, Squires Lane. Cooldine Boy has qualified for his mark with three runs over hurdles and needs a market check, Parkinson and Ammunition would have claims if in peak form, Cash King and Potts Of Magic may have a bit more to offer but Charlies Future appeals as the best alternative to the selection. He's as high in the weights as he's ever been following his course and distance win last month but his latest run at Chepstow over an inadequate trip suggests that he's still competitive. Squires Lane has put his problems behind him in no uncertain style since returning from a short break. He ran out a ready winner at Leicester before following up in equally impressive fashion at Newton Abbot. He has a penalty to carry but still looks to be ahead of the game to our eye and Squires Lane is taken to complete his hat-trick.
Formwatch
Macmar (FR) 2-1fav (11-8) In touch, not fluent 12th, struggling when hit 13th, soon lost touch, 5th of 6, well behind Charlies Future (10-7) at Exeter 2m 7f hcp chs 0-130 (3) gd in Feb.
Charlies Future 4-1co-fav (11-6) Led, hit 3rd, headed 6th, ridden and outpaced 11th, stayed on to take poor 3rd, 3rd of 10, 5l behind Which Pocket (11-12) at Chepstow 2m 3f hcp chs 0-125 (3) sft.
Squires Lane (IRE) 5-2fav (11-1) Jumped right, made all, drew well clear from 15th, heavily eased run-in, won at N Abbot 3m 2f hcp chs 0-120 (3) gs beating Yann's (11-6) by 10l, 6 ran.
Parkinson (IRE) 9-1 (10-7) Mid-division, jumped slowly 4th, dropped to rear, never travelling after, tailed off and pulled up at the 15th in race won by Snoopy Loopy (10-11) at Chepstow 3m 2f hcp chs 0-125 (3) gs in Feb, 12 ran.
Cooldine Boy (IRE) 11-1 (10-10) Mid-division, ridden and some headway after 7th, weakened approaching 4 out, 7th of 14, 42l behind Krackatara (11-3) at Chepstow 2m 4f mdn hdl (4) gs in Feb.
Ammunition (IRE) 11-2 (10-8) Mid-division, effort approaching 4 out, gradually faded, 8th of 12, 28l behind Kings Euro (11-12) at Newbury 2m 6f nov hcp chs 0-125 (3) gs in Feb.
Alcatras (IRE) 16-1 (11-3) Always behind, tailed off when pulled up at the 10th in race won by Macmar (11-12) at Exeter 2m 7f hcp chs 0-115 (4) gs in Jan, 12 ran.
Cash King (IRE) 5-1 (10-2) Mid-division, pecked 7th, ridden after 10th, outpaced 3 out, stayed on after 2 out, 3rd of 11, 6l behind Native Coral (11-5) at Stratford 2m 7f hcp chs 0-120 (3) gs.
Potts of Magic 9-2 (10-2) Held up, headway 13th, ridden 4 out, one pace approaching last, 2nd of 8, 7l behind Petitjean (11-9) at Ludlow 3m hcp chs 0-125 (3) gd in Feb.