Racecards
15:30 Hereford
Eileen Bennett Memorial Open Hunters' Chase (Class 5)
- 8 Runners
- Distance: 2m 4f 194y
- Going: Good
- Surface: Turf
- £5,000 added
- Winner: £2,566
- 2nd: £1,284
- 3rd: £642
- 4th: £321
- Form 3211-12
- Age 10
- Weight 11-10
- Official Rating 135
- Trainer J J O'Shea
- Jockey Mr James King
led until 6th, chased leader, pecked 9th, led again 11th, mistake last, headed and no extra towards finish
- Form 12-5167
- Age 11
- Weight 11-10
- Official Rating 132
- Trainer D Skelton
- Jockey Tristan Durrell
held up, bit closer on inside at 7th, pushed along in 4th before 3 out, not fluent 2 out and lost ground, rallied into 3rd before the last, kept on well run-in, not reach leading duo
- Form 6/14-131
- Age 10
- Weight 11-6
- Official Rating 127
- Trainer Mrs Lucy Smith
- Jockey Mr Tommie M O'Brien
chased leader, led 6th until 11th, chased leader, not fluent next, pushed along and lost 2nd turning in, weakened into 4th before the last
- Form 62F1P3-
- Age 6
- Weight 11-6
- Official Rating 143
- Trainer P F Nicholls
- Jockey Mr D Maxwell
held up in last pair, some headway approaching 10th, weakened next, tailed off and pulled up after 2 out
- Form 21232P
- Age 7
- Weight 11-6
- Official Rating 118
- Trainer M Hampton
- Jockey Beau Morgan
chased leading pair, went 2nd on inside turning in, soon pushed along, 2 lengths down as leader hit last, stayed on gamely to lead towards finish
Asangy (ITY)
333- Form 12F4/8P-
- Age 10
- Weight 11-2
- Official Rating 92
- Trainer Derek Smith
- Jockey Toby Wynne
raced wide, held up, fell 9th
Dalahast (FR)
186- Form 4/736-77
- Age 9
- Weight 11-2
- Trainer A B Leyshon
- Jockey Mr Bradley Gibbs
chased leaders in 4th, weakened 4 out, tailed off
- Form 55P/PP7
- Age 11
- Weight 11-2
- Official Rating 120
- Trainer A Ward-Thomas
- Jockey Mr Martin McIntyre
last pair, tailed off and pulled up before 3 out
- Form 153-2U8
- Age 10
- Weight 11-10
- Official Rating 137
- Trainer Miss V Collins
- Jockey Miss Lucy Turner
NonRunner
In depth
Verdict
Marracudja is talented but has never been easy to catch right so it’s anybody’s guess how he’ll take to competing in this sphere. Cousin Pascal won the Foxhunters’ at Aintree last April and will be gearing up for another crack at the big hunter chases this spring. Solomon Grey has won five times under Rules and has his ground but is having a first outing since July. Marcle Ridge is a prolific winner between the flags and has won twice under Rules at Cheltenham but we’ll give a tentative vote to STRATAGEM, who has an absence to overcome but is only a six-year-old and could be a useful recruit to the hunter chase ranks.
Formwatch
Cousin Pascal (FR) 1-4fav (11-3) Led to 8; chsd wnr bet last 2; no imp, 2nd of 11, 10l behind Back Bar (11-0) at Charing 3m gs in Dec.
Marracudja (FR) 25-1 (11-8) Always in rear, tailed off, 7th of 8, dist behind Palmers Hill (11-4) at Wetherby 2m 3f hcp (3) gs in Nov.
Marcle Ridge (IRE) Evensfav (11-7) Led to 8 & 11-13; lft in ld nxt; hdd 2 out; rallied to ld last; stayed on wl, won at Barbury Racecourse 3m gs in Dec beating Famous Clermont (11-7) by 1 1/2l, 15 ran.
Stratagem (FR) 4-1 (11-8) Led, pushed along after 5 out, still every chance 4 out, lost lead 3 out, weakened, 3rd of 6, 9 1/2l behind Duc De Beauchene (10-3) at Chepstow 2m 3f hcp (3) gs in Mar.
Wagner (IRE) 7-1 (11-9) (5a) (cp) (tt) led 2-6; wknd 3 out; wl bhnd when pu last, at Larkhill 3m sft in Jan.
Asangy (ITY) 200-1 (11-4) Tended to jump left throughout, towards rear, blundered 8th, ridden and detached 9th, tailed off when pulled up before 14th, at Ludlow 3m (5) gs in Mar.
Dalahast (FR) (10-10) 7th of 11, 31 1/2l behind Sacha Green (11-7) at Le Lion D'angers 2m 6f sft in Jul.
Too Many Diamonds (IRE) 33-1 (11-7) Hdwy 13; wknd 2 out, 7th of 12, 19 1/2l behind Igor (11-7) at Larkhill 3m sft in Dec.
Solomon Grey (FR) 15-2 (11-1) Held up towards rear, headway after 4 out, no extra last, 8th of 16, 26 1/4l behind Francky Du Berlais (10-13) at Market Rasen 2m 5f hcp (1) gd in Jul.