Racecards
17:30 Fontwell Park
B & W 40th Anniversary Handicap Hurdle (Class 4)
- 8 Runners
- Distance: 2m 2f 110y
- Going: Good to Firm
- Surface: Turf
- Form 2-UP113
- Age 7
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 109
- Trainer Evan Williams
- Jockey P C O'Neill
tracked leader, reminder after 5th, led and blundered next, narrowly headed 2 out, rallied to lead soon after last, ran on well
- Form 123P7-
- Age 6
- Weight 11-11
- Official Rating 108
- Trainer G & J Moore
- Jockey P Hide
tracked leaders, ridden after 3 out, kept on same pace
Love Angel (USA)
170- Form 770-
- Age 4
- Weight 11-2
- Official Rating 99
- Trainer J J Bridger
- Jockey J E Moore
tracked leaders, hit 4th, ridden to challenge after 3 out, one pace from next
Wages
15- Form 215-181
- Age 6
- Weight 11-0
- Official Rating 97
- Trainer Mrs A M Thorpe
- Jockey T J O'Brien
in touch, headway to lead 2 out, soon ridden and hard pressed, no extra when headed soon after last
- Form 000-97P
- Age 7
- Weight 10-12
- Official Rating 95
- Trainer J & A O'Neill
- Jockey M A Fitzgerald
soon pushed along in rear, short lived effort 3 out
Sgt Pepper (IRE)
256- Form 65554-
- Age 5
- Weight 10-11
- Official Rating 94
- Trainer O Sherwood
- Jockey L P Aspell
always towards rear
Meltonian
10- Form P-32872
- Age 9
- Weight 10-8
- Official Rating 91
- Trainer K F Clutterbuck
- Jockey Matt Crawley
always towards rear
Lillebror (GER)
609- Form 0P01P/
- Age 8
- Weight 10-2
- Official Rating 85
- Trainer B J Curley
- Jockey Paul Moloney
led until after 6th, soon beaten
In depth
Verdict
Almizan could be of interest on his first start for two months representing the yard of Gray Moore that does well with their runners at this venue but a safer bet looks to be the progressive Harry Potter, who is preferred to Lillebror. The last mentioned has not run over hurdles for some time but should be fit enough for his return and, being trained by Barney Curley, any support in the market for him would have to be of interest. Wages has been performing well in selling races of late and cannot be ruled out on his return to a handicap, while Sgt Pepper may need the run on his first appearance on a racecourse since April. The vote then goes to Harry Potter, who has been running well over fences of late and returns to hurdles off a lower mark.
Formwatch
Harry Potter (GER) 2-1 (11-12) Led until 4 out, demoted to 3rd just after 3 out, beaten when mistake 2 out, last of 3, 6l behind Cardington (11-0) at Bangor 2m 1f nov chs (4) gf in Aug.
Almizan (IRE) 20-1 (11-4) Mid-division, ridden 5th, hit 6th and weakened, 7th of 13, 12l behind Tamreen (10-12) at Stratford 2m nov hcp hdl (3) gd in Apr.
Love Angel (USA) 200-1 (11-0) Slightly hampered 4th, always behind, 13th of 17, 47l behind Detroit City (11-0) at Cheltenham 2m 1f 4yo hdl Grd 1 (1) gd in Mar.
Wages 4-5fav (10-12) Held up and keen, smooth headway 3 out, led next, ridden clear from last, won at Market Rasen 2m 1f sll hdl (5) gs in Aug beating Snob Wells (10-10) by 5l, 6 ran.
Fort Ord (IRE) 11-1 (11-9) Held up, mistake 3rd, lost touch after 8th, tailed off when pulled up 3 out in race won by Uncle Max (11-7) at Bangor 2m 4f hcp chs 0-100 (4) gs in Aug, 10 ran.
Sgt Pepper (IRE) 11-1 (11-2) Behind, steady headway from 5th, chased leaders 3 out, soon one pace, 4th of 18, 12l behind Gustavo (9-13) at Ludlow 2m hcp hdl 0-105 (E) gd in Dec.
Meltonian 14-1 (10-3) Held up, headway 4th, lost place after 3 out, rallied 2 out, went 2nd last, no chance with winner, 2nd of 9, 9l behind Jacaranda (11-6) at Stratford 2m cnd hcp hdl 0-105 (4) gf in Aug.
Lillebror (GER) 15-8 (10-9) In touch in chasing group, ridden and no response before 3 out, pulled up before last pulled up at the last in race won by The Local (11-3) at Plumpton 2m hcp hdl 0-110 (E) sft in Jan '05, 11 ran.