Racecards
15:40 Fontwell Park
Hennings Wine Merchants Novices' Hurdle (Class 4)
- 5 Runners
- Distance: 2m 6f 110y
- Going: Good to Firm
- Surface: Turf
- £5,000 added
- Form 634113
- Age 5
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 104
- Trainer H J Manners
- Jockey Mr Felix De Giles
pulled hard, chased leader, led 2nd, soon hung right, lost place approaching 7th, soon weakened
- Form 221172
- Age 6
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 119
- Trainer P Hobbs & J White
- Jockey R Johnson
always towards rear, ridden 7th, no impression
- Form 57-1F54
- Age 5
- Weight 10-12
- Official Rating 105
- Trainer P F Nicholls
- Jockey L Heard
held up in touch, not fluent 4th and 5th, headway on bit approaching 3 out, blundered 3 out, soon ridden, kept on same pace from 2 out
- Form PP1-1P2
- Age 6
- Weight 10-12
- Official Rating 107
- Trainer Miss H C Knight
- Jockey S Thomas
prominent, headway, chased leaders 7th, ridden 3 out, challenged 2 out, every chance last, hard ridden flat, just failed
Sonoma (IRE)
66- Form 4132P
- Age 6
- Weight 10-12
- Official Rating 102
- Trainer B G Powell
- Jockey Mr S P Jones
led to 2nd, joined leader 4th, led 7th, ridden approaching 8th, hard ridden last, ran on flat, just held on
In depth
Verdict
Ladino is given another chance against Fountain Crumble and Hunting Lodge. Although he did not look particularly willing over three miles on his latest start, Ladino is officially rated some way in excess of his rivals and providing that Richard Johnson can humour him around this esoteric circuit, he looks to have the most obvious chances of the five. Fountain Crumble is a rare runner from the Paul Nicholls stable. Staying will be her game although she can ill afford the mistakes that have blighted her previous rounds. Hunting Lodge has handled the surface in the past although the distance is something of an imponderable. General Grey is a fair chaser on his day and should not be discounted if money is seen. Sonoma has a bit to prove after a modest run on her latest start. Ladino gets the nod with some reservations.
Formwatch
Hunting Lodge (IRE) 7-2 (11-3) Tracked leading pair, ridden approaching 3 out, soon no impression, 3rd of 5, 10l behind Possextown (11-4) at Worcester 3m nov hdl (4) gd in Aug.
Ladino (FR) 2-1fav (11-10) Held up in rear, headway 8th, ridden and outpaced 4 out, hit 2 out, kept on flat, not reached winner, 2nd of 12, 1 1/2l behind Waynesworld (10-12) at Worcester 3m nov hdl (4) gd.
Fountain Crumble 6-1 (10-1) Held up, headway approaching 7th, ridden when hung left and mistake 2 out, one pace flat, 4th of 7, 2 1/2l behind Potts of Magic (10-0) at Worcester 3m hcp hdl 0-125 (3) gf in Jul.
General Grey (IRE) 13-2 (11-11) Tracked leaders, reminders after 5th, every chance approaching 2 out, held when hung left approaching last, 2nd of 9, 7l behind Maidstone Monument (10-10) at Fontwell 2m 6f hcp hdl 0-110 (4) gf.
Sonoma (IRE) 6-1 (10-11) Tracked leader until 5th, ridden after 7th, soon weakened and pulled up 2 out in race won by Colorado Pearl (10-11) at N Abbot 2m 6f mrs nov hdl (4) gf in Jul, 9 ran.