Racecards
15:50 Hexham
Customfleet Novices' Handicap Chase (Class 4)
- 11 Runners
- Distance: 3m 1f
- Going: Good to Soft
- Surface: Turf
- Form 0661-11
- Age 6
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 105
- Trainer N G Richards
- Jockey A Dobbin
towards rear, struggling halfway, tailed off and pulled up before 4 out
- Form P-13111
- Age 8
- Weight 11-3
- Official Rating 96
- Trainer J C Haynes
- Jockey M J McAlister
mistakes in rear, struggling halfway, tailed off when pulled up before 4 out
- Form 11/P-027
- Age 10
- Weight 11-2
- Official Rating 95
- Trainer Ferdy Murphy
- Jockey G Lee
towards rear, hit 7th, soon struggling, tailed off when pulled up after 13th
- Form 3732-4P
- Age 9
- Weight 11-1
- Official Rating 94
chased leaders, reminder 13th, ridden and outpaced after 4 out
- Form 3-8435P
- Age 6
- Weight 10-9
- Official Rating 88
led, headed 14th, remained close up, every chance approaching 3 out, soon weakened, tailed off when pulled up before last
- Form 3DU5-57
- Age 8
- Weight 10-6
- Official Rating 85
- Trainer W Stone
- Jockey T Messenger
in touch, lost place 7th, struggling from halfway, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out
- Form P/5F-433
- Age 5
- Weight 10-5
- Official Rating 90
- Trainer B Storey
- Jockey D Elsworth
chased leaders, mistake 2nd, led approaching 3 out, clear approaching last, kept on
- Form PF61-14
- Age 10
- Weight 10-5
- Official Rating 84
- Trainer J B Walton
- Jockey R McGrath
towards rear, struggling halfway, tailed off when pulled up before 4 out
- Form 54-2341
- Age 7
- Weight 10-3
- Official Rating 82
- Trainer M E Sowersby
- Jockey P Kinsella
prominent, mistake 12th, led 14th, headed approaching 3 out, every chance next, weakened flat
- Form 055-313
- Age 9
- Weight 10-1
- Official Rating 80
- Trainer Miss Lucinda V Russell
- Jockey P Buchanan
towards rear, headway and in touch 13th, effort 3 out, one pace next
- Form 98-4324
- Age 9
- Weight 10-0
- Official Rating 76
mid-division, outpaced 15th, rallied between last 2, stayed on to go 2nd flat
In depth
Verdict
Silver Dagger has been in the form of his life of late but a 7lb rise for his latest success at Market Rasen leaves the eight-year-old with more to do and preference is for another in-form chaser Bafana Boy, who gets the vote ahead of Trovaio. The last mentioned was good value for his win at Cartmel two starts ago but struggled off his new mark at Southwell subsequently and may be best watched now. Civil Gent was good value for his win here last time but this looks a tougher contest, especially off a 7lb higher mark, while Finest of Men disappointed at Kelso last time. The Masareti Kid would have claims on his best but has been below that of late and a safer bet looks to be the Nicky Richards-trained Bafana Boy, who has done everything asked of him recently and is taken to win again.
Formwatch
Bafana Boy 11-4fav (11-3) Held up towards winner, headway 13th, led last, ridden out, won at Sedgefield 3m 3f hcp chs 0-105 (4) gf beating Midnight Gunner (11-3) by 6l, 12 ran.
Silver Dagger 5-2fav (10-6) Towards rear, pushed along halfway, headway 8th, challenged after 4 out, ridden and rallied to lead when not fluent last, kept on, won at Market Rasen 2m 6f hcp chs 0-105 (4) gf beating Barathea Blue (11-1) by 1 1/2l, 10 ran.
Forever Eyesofblue 33-1 (10-0) Behind, outpaced 3rd, hit 6th, soon reminders, weakened 10th, behind when pulled up at the 13th in race won by King Barry (11-3) at Perth 3m hcp chs 0-140 (2) gf, 15 ran.
Assumetheposition (FR) 16-1 (10-0) Mid-division, blundered 8th, soon lost place, tailed off when pulled up 5 out in race won by Red Man (10-10) at Perth 2m 4f nov hcp chs 0-120 (3) gf, 9 ran.
Carriage Ride (IRE) 18-1 (11-10) Tracked leaders, ridden 7th, weakened 4 out, 7th of 11, well behind Carricklee Boy (9-11) at Huntingdon 3m hcp chs 0-100 (4) gf.
Finest of Men 7-2jt-fav (12-4) Soon towards rear, outpaced 13th, headway 4 out, effort between last 2, no impression flat, 4th of 14, 15l behind Anshan Spirit (11-0) at Kelso 3m 1f hts chs (6) gd in May.
Civil Gent (IRE) 15-2 (9-10) Mid-division, headway 10th, effort 3 out, stayed on well to lead flat, kept on, won at Hexham 2m 4f hcp chs 0-100 (4) gf beating Woodenbridge Dream (10-6) by 2 1/2l, 13 ran.
Trovaio (IRE) 8-1 (11-3) Held up behind, headway 4 out, one pace from next, 3rd of 14, 23l behind Lambrini Bianco (11-0) at Southwell 3m 2f hcp chs 0-90 (5) gd.