Racecards
14:25 Haydock Park
Betdirect.Co.Uk Mares' Only Handicap Hurdle (Class C)
- 5 Runners
- Distance: 2m
- Going: Soft, Good to Soft in places
- Form 5020-15
- Age 6
- Weight 11-12
- Trainer Mrs S Lamyman
- Jockey L Vickers
disputed lead until headed after 4 out, ridden and outpaced in 3rd when fell 3 out
Dancing Pearl
212- Form 6/22214-
- Age 6
- Weight 11-2
- Trainer C Price
- Jockey Wayne Hutchinson
tracked leaders, outpaced approaching 3 out, soon ridden, left 2nd when badly hampered 2 out, stayed on towards finish
- Form 210P-
- Age 6
- Weight 11-2
- Trainer C R Egerton
- Jockey G Lee
disputed lead until headed after 4 out, weakening when slightly hampered 2 out
Calamintha
43- Form 1210F-0
- Age 4
- Weight 11-1
tracked leaders and keen, led after 4 out, ridden after 3 out, fell next
Avitta (IRE)
15- Form F2362-3
- Age 5
- Weight 10-10
- Trainer Miss V Williams
- Jockey S Thomas
held up in rear, headway approaching 3 out, about a length down when left in lead 2 out, driven clear flat all out
In depth
Verdict
It's not easy to name the winner here but we will side with Calamintha over Avitta. While the Martin Pipe-trained selection has yet to justify her current rating, you know that she will keep on galloping and, at this venue, that has to be a bonus. She should also be sharper for her Chepstow seasonal return, which came in a much stronger race. Avitta is only two pounds worse off for the two-and-a-half lengths she finished in front of Dancing Pearl at Ayr in May and, while she is not the easiest to win with, should be thereabouts today. Vicars Destiny was highly tried last time, likes soft but is now 13 pounds higher in the weights than for scoring at Market Rasen last season, while Druids Confederacy is lightly raced, so open to improvement, but is a little hard to assess on the basis of what he has so far achieve over hurdles. Once again, then, the vote goes to Calamintha.