Racecards
15:15 Haydock Park
Betfred Merry Christmas Handicap Hurdle (Class 3)
- 6 Runners
- Distance: 3m 58y
- Going: Heavy (Soft in places)
- Surface: Turf
- £20,000 added
- Winner: £10,562
- 2nd: £4,860
- 3rd: £2,430
- 4th: £1,216
- Form 82/110-P
- Age 10
- Weight 12-0
- Official Rating 131
- Trainer Olly Williams
- Jockey Charlie Maggs
held up in rear, not fluent 5th, slow next, well beaten after 4 out
- Form 322-341
- Age 10
- Weight 11-6
- Official Rating 123
- Trainer N J Hawke
- Jockey Ben Bromley
in rear, mistake 7th and jockey briefly having tack problems, not much room 4 out, effort 3 out, no impression 2 out, went 3rd last, lost 3rd towards finish
- Form 85563-0
- Age 9
- Weight 11-0
- Official Rating 117
- Trainer Charlotte Fuller
- Jockey James Davies
prominent, slow 7th, stayed on one pace from 3 out, went 3rd towards finish
- Form 19-4111
- Age 7
- Weight 11-0
- Official Rating 117
- Trainer James Moffatt
- Jockey Charlotte Jones
chased leaders, disputing 2nd 7th, unable to trouble winner from 2 out, stayed on
- Form 21P3-0P
- Age 9
- Weight 10-12
- Official Rating 115
- Trainer P A Kirby
- Jockey Joe Williamson
made all, not fluent 7th, stayed on well from 2 out, ridden out
- Form FP4P-61
- Age 10
- Weight 10-3
- Official Rating 106
- Trainer N W Alexander
- Jockey Sean Quinlan
chased leaders, outpaced 3 out, soon weakened
- Form 05-5P81
- Age 10
- Weight 11-5
- Official Rating 122
NonRunner
In depth
Verdict
Bushypark has won twice around here and thrives in testing conditions but Niceandeasy is up 3lb for scrambling home at Kelso and is 4lb out of the handicap. OUR SAM‘s hat-trick has been gained by very narrow margins which is why the assessor has only been able to raise him 2lb for his Hexham victory. A four-timer beckons though Ballymagroarty Boy thrived in heavy conditions at Ffos Las and should go close while J‘Ai Froid was winning for the sixth time at Leicester and is another suited by the conditions.
Formwatch
Storm Nelson (IRE) 40-1 (11-5) Mid-division, reminders after 5th, lost position and soon tailed off, pulled up before 9th, at Aintree 3m 1f hcp (2) sft in Nov.
Ballymagroarty Boy (IRE) 13-2 (12-0) Chased leaders, went 2nd from 7th, led 2 out, rider dropped whip flat, stayed on and going away towards finish, won at Ffos Las 3m hcp (4) hvy in Dec beating Balkardy (11-6) by 4 3/4l, 9 ran.
Skandiburg (FR) 40-1 (10-9) Tracked leaders, lost place 7th, pushed along and weakened 3 out, 10th of 12, 35l behind Ed Keeper (10-13) at Newbury 3m hcp (2) gs in Dec.
Our Sam 5-2jfav (11-6) Chased leaders, headway before 2 out, went second approaching last, led flat, kept on, won at Hexham 2m 7f hcp (3) sft in Oct beating Shoeshine Boy (10-8) by 3/4l, 5 ran.
Bushypark (IRE) 14-1 (11-5) Led until 4th, ridden and weakened after 7th, pulled up before 3 out, at Uttoxeter 2m 7f hcp (3) sft in Nov.
Niceandeasy (IRE) 12-1 (11-3) Made all. good jump 3 out, shaken up approaching 2 out, slow jump last and pressed but kept on strongly, won at Kelso 3m 2f hcp (4) sft in Nov beating Guernesey (11-11) by 3/4l, 7 ran.
J'Ai Froid (IRE) 3-1 (11-12) Made all, shaken up after 3 out, ridden next, faced challenge after last, kept on well flat, won at Leicester 2m hcp (4) hvy in Nov beating Harel Du Marais (11-4) by nk, 4 ran.