Racecards
13:10 Fontwell Park
Wellpool Building And Maintenance Beginners' Chase (Class 4)
- 6 Runners
- Distance: 2m 6f
- Going: Good, Good to Soft in places
- Surface: Turf
- £8,000 added
- Form 16/4-2
- Age 5
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer N J Henderson
- Jockey Andrew Tinkler
chased winner until after 4 out, lost 2nd next, blundered last, lost 2nd again run-in
Mendo
23- Form 45211-1
- Age 7
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer Noel T Chance
- Jockey W T Kennedy
held up behind leaders, nudged along from 7th, blundered 10th, fell next
- Form 524-32
- Age 5
- Weight 11-0
- Official Rating 109
- Trainer B G Powell
- Jockey A P McCoy
tracked leaders, ridden after 4 out, five lengths 2nd when blundered and unseated rider 3 out
O'maley (FR)
10- Form 13/36-4F
- Age 5
- Weight 11-0
- Official Rating 122
- Trainer P F Nicholls
- Jockey S Thomas
made all, slow jump 1st, ridden after 4 out, five lengths clear when mistake 3 out, driven out
- Form R1233-4
- Age 5
- Weight 11-0
- Official Rating 137
- Trainer G & J Moore
- Jockey J E Moore
chased leaders until dropped rear 6th, soon lost touch, stayed on again from 3 out, went 2nd towards finish
- Form 4P-0
- Age 5
- Weight 11-0
mistake 2nd, struggling 7th, tailed off and pulled up before 11th
In depth
Verdict
Mendo, O'Maley and Noble Ben are the shortlisted trio here with O'Maley taken to make up for a mishap last time. Mendo has won his last three races over hurdles and makes his chasing bow here. He enjoyed the testing conditions at Cheltenham last time but the ground is quicker here and he will improve for the experience. Noble Ben is still a novice over hurdles but he has shaped encouragingly, especially when chasing home the useful Gansey last time. He may be under-rated here but can go well here. O'Maley was a little disappointing on his fencing bow at Bangor and fell next time at Newbury but Paul Nicholls will know where he stands with Noble Ben on a line through his Gansey, and O'Maley can put his experience to good use and take this.
Formwatch
Jean Le Poisson (FR) 15-2 (11-1) Close up until dropped to rear 6th, headway 9th, driven after 3 out, kept on but no chance with winner, 2nd of 6, 14l behind Hobbs Hill (11-7) at Folkestone 2m 5f nov chs (3) gd in Nov.
Mendo 16-1 (11-7) Held up towards rear, headway approaching 3 out, chased leader after 2 out, led last, driven and stayed on strongly flat, won at Cheltenham 2m 5f hcp hdl 0-135 (3) sft in Nov beating Vale Of Avocia (10-11) by 1l, 19 ran.
Noble Ben (IRE) 6-1 (10-12) Held up, headway 7th, led 4 out, headed flat, one pace, 2nd of 10, 2 1/2l behind Gansey (10-12) at Plumpton 2m 5f nh nov hdl (4) gs in Nov.
O'maley (FR) 13-2 (11-12) Prominent when fell in race won by Sir Bathwick (10-13) at Newbury 2m 6f nov hcp chs 0-130 (3) gs, 8 ran.
Shardakhan (IRE) 10-1 (11-0) Chased leaders, hit 4th, challenging for 3rd, no chance with front pair when slipped on bend before 3 out, weakned soon after, 4th of 6, 46l behind Pauillac (10-7) at Lingfield 2m beg chs (4) gd in Nov.
The Chisholm (IRE) 100-1 (10-9) Held up mid-division, headway halfway, lost place over 3f out, 12th of 16, well behind Blackpool Billy (10-11) at Towcester 2m nhf (4) sft in Nov.