Racecards
15:50 Fontwell Park
Final Furlong Podcast Novices' Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 4)
- 7 Runners
- Distance: 3m 1f 210y
- Going: Good
- Surface: Turf
- £8,035 added
- Winner: £4,289
- 2nd: £1,259
- 3rd: £630
- 4th: £350
Pontresina (IRE)
286- Form 3322/20-
- Age 7
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 115
- Trainer O Sherwood
- Jockey J J Burke
chased leaders, not fluent 8th, mistake 5 out, went 2nd 2 out, carried right before last, soon led, jumped left and hampered rival at the last, driven out, finished 1st, placed 2nd
- Form 232/0-
- Age 6
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 115
held up, in touch 2nd, not fluent 6th, lost place before 8th, well held before 3 out, stayed on flat
- Form 801134-
- Age 7
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 115
- Trainer D Pipe
- Jockey David Noonan
held up, in touch 3rd, close 3rd 2 out, held last, hung right flat, stayed on towards finish
- Form 24P-421
- Age 6
- Weight 11-11
- Official Rating 114
- Trainer P F Nicholls
- Jockey H Cobden
led or disputed lead, slow 2nd, went right and not fluent 3rd, given reminder, beaten after 3 out, weakened from next
- Form 5423-21
- Age 8
- Weight 11-5
- Official Rating 108
- Trainer T Symonds
- Jockey Bryan Carver
led or disputed lead, edged right before last, soon headed, badly hampered at the last, short or room against rail and hampered flat, switched right and kept on, finished 2nd, placed 1st
- Form F/32P-34
- Age 7
- Weight 10-10
- Official Rating 99
- Trainer D J Jeffreys
- Jockey Kielan Woods
not that fluent in rear, some headway after 4 out, no impression, mistake 3 out and last
- Form 122524-
- Age 7
- Weight 10-8
- Official Rating 97
- Trainer K Bishop
- Jockey Shane Quinlan
held up in rear, not much room 3rd, not fluent 5th, headway 11th, struggling when mistake 4 out, well held 3 out, stayed on flat
In depth
Verdict
EASYRUN DE VASSY (NAP) showed that chasing will be his game when making a winning start over the larger obstacles over course and distance last month. A 5lb rise doesn’t appear excessive given the manner of victory and the fact that Schnabel has gone up 7lb for winning in lesser company at Uttoxeter. Buster Edwards, three times a winner over hurdles over this sort of trip, started off in point-to-points so should make a chaser but Pontresina and Top Up The Fashion are best watched after a lay-off.
Formwatch
Pontresina (IRE) 9-1 (11-8) Mid-division, closer approaching 3 out, weakened on long run before next, 10th of 14, dist behind Fontley House (11-7) at Kempton 3m hcp (4) gs in Nov.
Top Up The Fashion (IRE) 6-1 (12-1) Chased leaders on outside, lost place after 3 out, soon weakened, 12th of 13, dist behind No Getaway (11-12) at Hereford 2m 4f hcp (4) sft in Nov.
Buster Edwards (IRE) 11-4 (11-9) Prominent on inside, led 7th, headed before 2 out, weakening when mistake last, 4th of 7, 21l behind Royal Claret (10-11) at Hereford 3m 2f hcp (4) sft in Mar.
Easyrun De Vassy (FR) 5-2 (11-6) Led, mistake 14th, hit next, headed 4 out, ridden approaching 3 out, regained lead 3 out, kept on well flat, won at Fontwell 3m 2f hcp (4) gd in Aug beating Jen's Boy (11-12) by 5 1/2l, 5 ran.
Schnabel (IRE) 13-8fav (12-1) Led 1st, headed and bumped 5th, soon switched left, led again 12th, clear 2 out, stayed on, won at Uttoxeter 2m 6f hcp (5) sft in Aug beating The Late Legend (10-3) by 6 1/2l, 9 ran.
Aughnacurra King (IRE) 14-1 (10-12) Led until 1st, prominent, lost place 3 out, weakened before 2 out, went right last, 4th of 9, 23 1/4l behind College Oak (10-12) at Uttoxeter 2m 4f (4) gs in Aug.
Rosserk Abbey (IRE) 9-1 (10-6) Tracked leaders, driven before 4 out, soon ridden and beaten, weakened next, tailed off, 4th of 5, dist behind Fortescue (11-9) at Uttoxeter 3m hcp (4) hvy in Jan.