Racecards
14:50 Fakenham
Holt Beginners' Chase (Class 4)
- 5 Runners
- Distance: 2m 5f 110y
- Going: Soft, Good to Soft in places
- Surface: Turf
- £7,000 added
- Form 480646
- Age 6
- Weight 11-0
- Official Rating 79
- Trainer M C Chapman
- Jockey J Goldstein
behind, soon detached, tailed off from 6th, pulled up 2 out
- Form 11220/5
- Age 5
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer C R Egerton
- Jockey P J Brennan
tracked leader, disputed lead from 8th until led approaching 4 out, driven clear approaching last, stayed on well
- Form P28403
- Age 7
- Weight 11-0
- Official Rating 105
- Trainer O Brennan
- Jockey W McCarthy
tracked leaders, slow 9th, blundered and unseated rider 10th
- Form 139555
- Age 6
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer N B King
- Jockey Alex Merriam
led, joined 8th, headed approaching 4 out, hit next, soon ridden, kept on under pressure
- Form 3138-P1
- Age 5
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer M F Harris
- Jockey Christian Williams
in touch, mistake 10th, weakened 4 out, remote 3rd when fell last, remounted and walked past line
In depth
Verdict
Another small field with FREEZE THE FLAME selected to get the better of Spare Me and Iron Hague in what looks a competitive little affair. The pick, making his chasing debut, has more than paid his keep while hurdling for Charlie Egerton. If he takes to the bigger fences, then he should be the one the others follow home. Spare Me will run all day in the mud, and again is trying these fences for the first time following a switch from Sue Smith's yard to Milton Harris after winning a claimer. Iron Hague is being tried over the bigger fences after failing to impress while hurdling. A step down in grade may bring some improvement.
Formwatch
Finnegans Rainbow 80-1 (10-11) Held up, improved 11th, ridden and weakened 14th, 6th of 7, well behind Backbord (11-0) at Fakenham 3m nov chs (3) gs in Nov.
Freeze The Flame (GER) 14-1 (10-12) Tracked leader, ridden 7th, weakened next, 5th of 11, 15l behind Duc De Regniere (11-11) at Kempton 2m 5f hcp hdl (2) gs in Nov.
Iron Hague (IRE) 80-1 (10-8) Led until approaching 4th, remained prominent, ridden to challenge after 3 out, weakened next, 3rd of 5, 12l behind Cool Operator (11-7) at Huntingdon 2m 4f nov chs (3) gd in Nov.
Pairc Na Gcapall (IRE) 10-1 (10-5) Led until 7th, soon weakened, 5th of 11, 18l behind Bonikos (10-12) at Huntingdon 2m 4f nov hdl (3) gd in Nov.
Spare Me 7-2 (10-13) Made all, quickened pace approaching 2 out, ridden approaching last, stayed on well, won at Market Rasen 2m 3f clm hdl (5) sft in Nov beating Imtihan (10-6) by 2l, 11 ran.