Racecards
15:55 Fakenham
Gurkha Welfare Trust Handicap Chase (Class D) (Class D)
- 8 Runners
- Distance: 3m 110y
- Going: Good, Good to Firm in places
- Form 0FB50-1
- Age 6
- Weight 11-12
- Trainer L Wells
- Jockey L P Aspell
led, headed 11th, ridden and weakened after 3 out
- Form 211P3-2
- Age 7
- Weight 11-11
- Trainer T R George
- Jockey P C O'Neill
close up, ridden 14th, weakened approaching 2 out
- Form 113PUP-
- Age 13
- Weight 11-2
- Trainer M Roberts
- Jockey Mr C Gordon
in touch, weakened 8th, behind 10th, pulled up after 13th
- Form 2551/1P-
- Age 12
- Weight 11-2
held up in touch, headway to join leader 8th, led 11th, ridden and headed 2 out, soon outpaced by winner
- Form 31/1121-
- Age 8
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer G Balding
- Jockey M Bradburne
held up, headway 12th, led 2 out, quickened clear over 1 out, comfortable, eased flat
Dardanus
361- Form 14220/F-
- Age 6
- Weight 10-11
- Trainer C J Mann
- Jockey N D Fehily
held up, never dangerous
- Form 21515-P
- Age 12
- Weight 10-9
- Trainer J R Cornwall
- Jockey R Hobson
in touch, jumped slow 3rd, ridden and outpaced 3 out, rallied and stayed on to take 3rd flat
- Form 23UF3-4
- Age 9
- Weight 10-7
- Trainer Ferdy Murphy
- Jockey A O'keeffe
in touch, every chance when blundered 3 out, soon ridden and beaten
In depth
Verdict
Ballyvaddy comfortably landed the odds at Worcester on his most recent start last month and, despite a 13lb rise, is taken to follow up at the main expense of Cowboyboots and Madge Carroll. The last mentioned hails from the in-form stable of Tom George and ran well off today's mark at Uttoxeter last time. Top weight Cowboyboots won a novice chase at Fontwell last time but is likely to find this tougher. The handicapper now seems to have the measure of Strong Magic and of more interest may be Ferdy Murphy's Be Upstanding, who has a nice racing weight but the one they all have to beat is Toby Balding's Ballyvaddy, who is taken to defy the rise in the weights.