Racecards
16:45 Huntingdon
William Hill Poker Grand Prix Handicap Chase (Class B)
- 8 Runners
- Distance: 2m 110y
- Going: Good, Good to Firm in places
- Surface: Turf
- Form P104F-5
- Age 10
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 135
- Trainer H D Daly
- Jockey R Thornton
prominent, jumped left 3rd, pushed along 8th, weakened after next, tailed off and pulled up before 2 out
- Form 07610-5
- Age 8
- Weight 11-11
- Official Rating 134
- Trainer Miss E C Lavelle
- Jockey B Fenton
prominent, led 7th, ridden and headed approaching last, weakened flat
- Form P-UU471
- Age 5
- Weight 11-5
- Official Rating 128
- Trainer P F Nicholls
- Jockey L Heard
mid-division, bumped 1st, efforty when hampered 2 out, soon weakened
- Form 233101
- Age 7
- Weight 11-2
- Official Rating 125
- Trainer R C Guest
- Jockey P Merrigan
in touch, bumped 3rd, ridden when hampered 2 out, kept on to go 2nd flat, no chance with winner
- Form 3F51PP-
- Age 6
- Weight 11-2
- Official Rating 125
- Trainer N J Henderson
- Jockey M Foley
led to 7th, ever chance when fell 2 out
- Form 213762-
- Age 9
- Weight 11-1
- Official Rating 124
- Trainer T R George
- Jockey J M Maguire
mid-division, headway 10th, ridden approaching 2 out, hit last, one pace after
- Form 1S410-4
- Age 9
- Weight 11-1
- Official Rating 124
- Trainer J & A O'Neill
- Jockey A P McCoy
held up, hit 10th, effort 2 out, soon beaten
- Form 3272U2
- Age 6
- Weight 10-4
- Official Rating 113
- Trainer R C Guest
- Jockey W T Kennedy
held up in rear, headway approaching 2 out, led approaching last, ridden out
In depth
Verdict
Multeen River should come on for his run behind Magic Sky at Worcester last month but Jonjo O'Neill's gelding is far from certain to reverse form with his conqueror their and the vote goes to the Paul Nicholls-trained gelding with Wet Lips rated the best of the remainder. The selection, a French import, remains relatively unexposed and showed at Worcester that he handles fast ground perfectly well. Another French import Tanikos has not always looked to be the most straightforward of rides and a bigger threat is likely to come from Henry Daly's Bonus Bridge, although lack of a recent run may be of concern. Bill's Echo ran one of his better races behind Wet Lips at Carlisle recently and has to be respected on that evidence, especially on the revised terms but Magic Sky has solid claims and gets the vote.
Formwatch
Bonus Bridge (IRE) 11-1 (11-4) Led, headed after 5th, driven from 7th, led 4 out, headed when mistake and weakened 2 out, last of 5, 25l behind Bambi De L'orme (11-0) at Warwick 2m chs (B) gf in May.
Palua 15-2 (11-5) Chased leader until approaching 9th, soon weakened, 5th of 9, 42l behind Ghadames (10-12) at Stratford 2m 1f hcp chs 0-135 (C) gs in May.
Magic Sky (FR) 12-1 (11-2) Mid-division, headway going well approaching 4 out, ridden approaching last, led flat, ran on well, won at Worcester 2m hcp chs 0-125 (D) gf in Sept beating Deep King (10-6) by 2l, 12 ran.
Wet Lips (AUS) 7-1 (11-5) In touch, ridden and outpaced 3 out, rallied approaching last, stayed on well under pressure to lead flat, won at Carlisle 2m hcp chs 0-125 (D) gf beating Bill's Echo (11-1) by 2 1/2l, 7 ran.
Tanikos (FR) 9-1 (11-12) Led first, remained prominent, blundered 6th, weakened 11th, tailed off when pulled up 3 out in race won by Benrajah (10-13) at Stratford 2m 4f hcp chs 0-130 (C) gf in Apr, 11 ran.
Cobbet (CHR) 16-1 (11-7) Held up in mid-division, ridden and effort 4 out, left 2nd last, kept on flat, 2nd of 8, 10l behind Master Rex (11-11) at Wincanton 2m hcp chs 0-130 (C) gs in Dec.
Multeen River (IRE) 8-1 (11-11) Mid-division, headway 7th, ridden approaching 4 out, weakened flat, 4th of 12, 13l behind Magic Sky (11-2) at Worcester 2m hcp chs 0-125 (D) gf in Sept.
Bill's Echo 7-2 (11-1) Held up, headway 4 out, led going well between last 2, ridden and headed flat, no extra, 2nd of 7, 2 1/2l behind Wet Lips (11-5) at Carlisle 2m hcp chs 0-125 (D) gf.