Racecards
11:50 Haydock Park
Betfred Wishing You A Merry Christmas Handicap Hurdle (Class 3)
- 7 Runners
- Distance: 2m 6f 177y
- Going: Heavy
- Surface: Turf
- £12,500 added
- Winner: £8,122
- 2nd: £2,385
- 3rd: £1,192
- 4th: £596
Eminent Poet
27- Form 1813-95
- Age 6
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 132
- Trainer Miss V Williams
- Jockey Hugh Nugent
chased leaders, challenged 3 out, led before next, driven flat, edged left and rider lost right iron briefly, stayed on
- Form 7/3424-3
- Age 10
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 132
- Trainer N G Richards
- Jockey D N Russell
held up, not fluent 2nd, fell 7th
- Form 1U221-1
- Age 4
- Weight 11-11
- Official Rating 131
- Trainer Micky Hammond
- Jockey Finian O'Toole
tracked leaders, not clear run after 3 out, switched left before next, soon outpaced, went 4th flat, no impression
- Form 69319-7
- Age 9
- Weight 11-9
- Official Rating 129
- Trainer J Parkinson & S Smith
- Jockey Danny Cook
set modest gallop, headed 3 out, switched right flat, stayed on towards finish
- Form 70F0-PP
- Age 7
- Weight 11-8
- Official Rating 128
- Trainer N P Mulholland
- Jockey T Scudamore
tracked leader, not fluent 4th or 4 out, led 3 out, headed before next, every chance flat, held towards finish
- Form 1P51/42
- Age 7
- Weight 11-5
- Official Rating 125
- Trainer D Skelton
- Jockey Harry Skelton
held up in rear on outside, took keen hold, stumbled 1st, mistake 5th, headway 4 out, ridden and one pace after 2 out, weakened flat
- Form P2-157U
- Age 6
- Weight 10-11
- Official Rating 117
- Trainer R Menzies
- Jockey Tony Kelly
held up in rear, not always fluent, closed 4 out, no impression 3 out
Previous results
In depth
Verdict
Stamina will be at a premium on today’s going but trip and conditions will hold no fears for EMINENT POET, who should be approaching peak fitness after a couple of runs. He finished 10 lengths ahead of last month’s Ayr third Isaacstown Lad on worse terms at Kelso in March when the ground was also very testing. Becky The Thatcher and Away For Slates are closely matched on their 1-2 at Wetherby but Southfield Royale is best watched at present. De Vous A Moi is preferred to Tomkevi of the others.
Formwatch
Eminent Poet 20-1 (11-11) Always towards rear, 5th of 8, 29 1/4l behind Ice Cool Champs (11-1) at Uttoxeter 2m 7f hcp (3) hvy in Nov.
Isaacstown Lad (IRE) 7-1 (11-7) Tracked leaders, in 3rd before 3 out, ridden before last, kept on, 3rd of 11, 2 1/2l behind Kris Spin (11-5) at Ayr 3m hcp (3) hvy in Nov.
Becky The Thatcher 33-1 (12-0) Chased leaders, went 2nd after 4 out, challenged 2 out, led last, ridden clear, won at Wetherby 2m 4f hcp (4) sft in Nov beating Away For Slates (11-12) by 3 3/4l, 14 ran.
De Vous A Moi (FR) 20-1 (11-6) Led to 7th, pushed along after next, soon lost place, 7th of 9, dist behind Cyrus Darius (11-11) at Ayr 2m 4f hcp (3) hvy in Nov.
Southfield Royale 33-1 (10-0) Chased leaders, weakened approaching 12th, tailed off 16th, pulled up soon after, at Newbury 3m 2f hcp (1) gs in Dec.
Away For Slates (IRE) 9-4fav (11-12) Mid-division, good headway chasing leaders 6th, 3rd before 3 out, led soon after 3 out, ridden and headed last, kept on same pace run-in, 2nd of 14, 3 3/4l behind Becky The Thatcher (12-0) at Wetherby 2m 4f hcp (4) sft in Nov.
Tomkevi (FR) 14-1 (11-2) In rear and mistakes, unseated rider 10th, at Catterick 3m 1f hcp (3) gs in Nov.