Racecards
15:15 Huntingdon
Pertemps Network Group Handicap Hurdle (Class 2)
- 8 Runners
- Distance: 3m 1f 10y
- Going: Soft
- Surface: Turf
- £20,000 added
- Winner: £12,512
- 2nd: £3,696
- 3rd: £1,848
- 4th: £924
- Form 5424-38
- Age 11
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 155
- Trainer J & A O'Neill
- Jockey Aidan Coleman
with leader, not fluent 2nd, still just 2nd when fell 3 out
- Form U1PP-P7
- Age 9
- Weight 10-9
- Official Rating 138
- Trainer C E Longsdon
- Jockey J J Burke
held up towards rear, pushed along and headway 4 out, weakened 2 out
- Form 2/440-P1
- Age 6
- Weight 10-8
- Official Rating 137
- Trainer N J Henderson
- Jockey B J Geraghty
mid-division, took keen hold, not fluent 4 out, soon ridden, closed 3 out, 3rd 2 out, one pace
- Form 421114
- Age 7
- Weight 10-7
- Official Rating 136
- Trainer N & W Twiston-Davies
- Jockey Tom Humphries
tracked leaders, took keen hold, ridden before 3 out, one pace before 2 out, no extra flat
- Form 219-782
- Age 6
- Weight 10-3
- Official Rating 132
- Trainer N J Gifford
- Jockey L P Aspell
led, not fluent 2nd or 6th, headed before 2 out, no impression on winner when dived at last
- Form 141/9-7P
- Age 8
- Weight 10-1
- Official Rating 130
- Trainer D Pipe
- Jockey T Scudamore
held up in rear, went mid-division 4th, closed 4 out, left 2nd when mistake 3 out, led before 2 out, clear approaching last, eased close home
- Form 94/453-3
- Age 10
- Weight 10-0
- Official Rating 128
- Trainer O Sherwood
- Jockey Conor Shoemark
held up in mid-division, lost place after 2nd, ridden 4 out, driven 3 out, modest 5th last
Salmanazar
663- Form 3514P2/
- Age 10
- Weight 10-0
- Official Rating 126
- Trainer A King
- Jockey Mitchell Bastyan
held up in rear, headway after 7th, lost place after 4 out, well beaten after 3 out
In depth
Verdict
PROTEK DES FLOS (NAP) is fancied to follow up his victory at Wincanton on Boxing Day off a 5lb higher mark. The second that day, Boite, won easily at Taunton last week and the extra distance may well suit. Arthur's Gift got found out by a further rise in the weights at Cheltenham at the start of the month and may be worth opposing again but Ascot runner-up The Mighty Don will be a danger if lasting home. Easter Day could be the one to cash in if some of the fancied runners don’t stay as the classy Taquin Du Seuil is an infrequent winner nowadays.
Formwatch
Taquin Du Seuil (FR) 20-1 (11-7) Held up in touch on inside, ridden and weakened after 3 out, tailed off, went left 2 out, last of 8, dist behind Sam Spinner (11-7) at Ascot 3m (1) gs in Dec.
Our Kaempfer (IRE) 33-1 (11-13) Mid-division, headway 3 out, soon ridden, weakened between last 2, 7th of 14, 27 1/4l behind Golan Fortune (10-9) at Kempton 2m 5f hcp (3) sft in Dec.
Protek Des Flos (FR) 10-1 (10-9) Mid-division, headway to chase leaders 5th, driven to challenge 2 out, every chance when not fluent last, soon led, driven out, ran on (1 hurdle omitted), won at Wincanton 2m 5f hcp (2) hvy in Dec beating Boite (11-0) by 2 1/4l, 11 ran.
Arthur's Gift (IRE) 7-2 (11-6) Prominent, led 3 out, headed next, one pace and beaten before last, lost 3rd flat, 4th of 8, 13 1/4l behind Boyhood (11-0) at Cheltenham 3m hcp (2) hvy in Jan.
The Mighty Don (IRE) 9-4fav (11-12) Tracked leaders, pushed along and outpaced after 3 out, rallied into 2nd and challenged 2 out where every chance last, no extra final 150 yards, 2nd of 8, 1 1/2l behind Golan Fortune (11-8) at Ascot 2m 6f hcp (3) gs in Dec.
Taj Badalandabad (IRE) 9-1 (12-1) Behind, pushed along before 2 out, soon weakened, pulled up before last, at Wincanton 2m 5f hcp (3) hvy in Jan.
Easter Day (FR) 15-2 (11-10) Held up in rear, pushed along 4 out, ridden before last, kept on same pace in 3rd, 3rd of 6, 5l behind Big Easy (11-11) at Warwick 3m 1f hcp (3) gd in May.
Salmanazar 20-1 (11-5) Chased leaders, went 3rd 2 out, soon driven, kept on run-in, finished well into 2nd last stride, not pace to reach winner, 2nd of 16, 1l behind Taj Badalandabad (11-8) at Ascot 3m hcp (3) gs in Apr.