Racecards
14:00 Kelso
Monteith Memorial Champion Chase (Handicap) (Class 2)
- 12 Runners
- Distance: 2m 6f 110y
- Going: Soft, Good to Soft in places
- Surface: Turf
- £17,000 added
- Winner: £10,761
- 2nd: £3,179
- 3rd: £1,590
- 4th: £796
- Form 11P/4-26
- Age 8
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 149
- Trainer J Ewart
- Jockey B S Hughes
with leader, led 3rd to 9th, led again next, headed 3 out, ridden last, lost 2nd flat, kept on same pace, no impression with leading pair final 200 yards
- Form 244FU-6
- Age 8
- Weight 11-10
- Official Rating 147
- Trainer P F Nicholls
- Jockey Mr H Derham
in touch, chased leading pair before 3 out, hit next, lost place between last 2, weakened last
- Form 13/0119-
- Age 10
- Weight 11-3
- Official Rating 140
- Trainer N G Richards
- Jockey B P Harding
held up behind, headway 3 out, squeezed through on inside to chase leading pair between last 2, went 2nd flat, ridden to challenge and every chance final 200 yards, no extra towards finish
- Form 11/2113-
- Age 9
- Weight 11-3
- Official Rating 140
- Trainer J Wade
- Jockey James Reveley
always prominent, led 9th to next, led again 3 out, ridden and hard pressed final 200 yards, stayed on well towards finish
Merigo (FR)
15- Form 1/8F82-7
- Age 10
- Weight 11-3
- Official Rating 140
- Trainer A Parker
- Jockey Timmy Murphy
in rear, mistake 2nd, struggling 11th, never dangerous, tailed off
- Form 211P6-4
- Age 7
- Weight 11-0
- Official Rating 137
- Trainer N G Richards
- Jockey D C Costello
held up mid-division on outside, headway when mistake 3 out, chased leaders under pressure between last 2, left clear 4th last, ridden and kept on flat, no impression
- Form 53F0-66
- Age 11
- Weight 10-7
- Official Rating 130
- Trainer James Moffatt
- Jockey K Mercer
in touch, hampered 4th, dropped to mid-division next, under pressure 12th, behind from 4 out, tailed off
- Form 2P100-P
- Age 10
- Weight 10-6
- Official Rating 129
- Trainer Ferdy Murphy
- Jockey G Lee
held up behind, hit 7th, lost place after 11th, outpaced 3 out, ridden and kept on under pressure from last, never near leaders
- Form 21UU3-4
- Age 9
- Weight 10-4
- Official Rating 127
- Trainer Miss Lucinda V Russell
- Jockey P Buchanan
slowly away, behind, headway and in touch on outside 5th, lost place before 3 out, soon behind, tailed off
- Form 218-616
- Age 8
- Weight 10-2
- Official Rating 125
- Trainer J Parkinson & S Smith
- Jockey Jonathan England
led, mistake and headed 3rd, chased leaders, blundered next, outpaced before 3 out, 4th and looked held when fell last
- Form 1FU1-56
- Age 11
- Weight 10-0
- Official Rating 122
- Trainer W Coltherd
- Jockey Gary Rutherford
mid-division in touch on inside, chased leaders 3 out, outpaced when hampered next, ridden and kept on same pace from last, no impression
- Form 2U/53P-2
- Age 10
- Weight 10-0
- Official Rating 119
- Trainer G Bewley
- Jockey Jonathon Bewley
tarcked leaders, mistake 6th, lost place 3 out, soon weakened, tailed off
In depth
Verdict
TAKE THE BREEZE rather lost his way over fences last season but he's dropped down the weights a little as a result. Paul Nicholls is a rare visitor to this track and, with the promising Harry Derham taking off 7lb, the eight-year-old is expected to go very close. Always Right was a progressive sort in the spring and has every chance if reproducing his best after a break, but Merigo and Chief Dan George may not be the force of old and Sa Suffit is facing a stiff task at the weights. Premier Sagas had a pipe-opener over a shorter trip here last month but stablemate Skippers Brig may be better suited by today's trip and going. Raysrock looks the pick of the remainder.
Formwatch
Sa Suffit (FR) 14-1 (10-10) In touch, chased easy winner 4 out to before 2 out, soon weakened, 6th of 20, 15l behind Dynaste (10-13) at Haydock 3m hcp hdl Grade 3 (1) gs in Nov.
Take The Breeze (FR) 14-1 (10-11) Tracked leaders, not fluent 6th, mistake 8th, not fluent 3 out, mistake next, weakened flat, 6th of 14, 16l behind Rival D'estruval (10-0) at Aintree 3m hcp hdl (2) gd in Oct.
Skippers Brig (IRE) 33-1 (10-2) Mid-division, outpaced in 10th 3 out, never near leaders, 9th of 40, well behind Ballabriggs (11-0) at Aintree 4m 4f hcp chs G3 (1) gd in Apr.
Always Right (IRE) 15-2 (10-0) Held up towards rear, blundered 13th, headway approaching 19th, went 3rd before 4 out, mistake 2 out, chased winner last, stayed on, lost 2nd last stride, 3rd of 28, 1l behind Beshabar (10-4) at Ayr 4m hcp chs G3 (1) gd in Apr.
Merigo (FR) 18-1 (11-12) Raced wide, went prominent 4th, lost place 5 out, weakened next, tailed off, 7th of 10, well behind Cappa Bleu (11-11) at Haydock 3m hcp chs 0-145 (2) gs in Nov.
Premier Sagas (FR) 6-1 (10-4) Held up towards rear, headway to go 4th before last, one pace and no impression, 4th of 7, 22l behind Stagecoach Pearl (10-4) at Kelso 2m 1f hcp chs (2) gd in Nov.
Chief Dan George (IRE) 18-1 (11-6) Tracked leader, mistake 10th, driven and outpaced approaching 4 out, lost place before next, weakened 2 out, 6th of 10, 36l behind Cappa Bleu (11-11) at Haydock 3m hcp chs 0-145 (2) gs in Nov.
Den of Iniquity 12-1 (11-7) Held up towards rear, weakened from 12th, pulled up before 2 out, in a race won by The Panama Kid (11-8) at Kelso 2m 6f hcp chs 0-140 (3) gd in Nov, 9 ran.
Raysrock (IRE) 12-1 (11-3) Held up mid-division, tracked leaders before 7th, led 8th, headed 10th, tracked leader, one pace from 2 out, 4th of 9, 7l behind The Panama Kid (11-8) at Kelso 2m 6f hcp chs 0-140 (3) gd in Nov.
You Know Yourself (IRE) 8-1 (11-5) Led to 5th, remained prominent, hampered 5 out, chased leader before next until 3 out, kept on same pace, no impression from 2 out, 6th of 10, 16l behind Neptune Equester (11-12) at Haydock 3m 4f hcp chs 0-130 (3) gs in Nov.
Tartan Snow 33-1 (9-11) Held up towards rear, hit 8th, soon reminders, never dangerous, 6th of 7, 38l behind Stagecoach Pearl (10-4) at Kelso 2m 1f hcp chs (2) gd in Nov.
Hockenheim (FR) 6-1 (11-0) Tracked leader, led 4th, hung right paddock bend, ridden and headed narrowly 3 out, kept on one pace run-in, 2nd of 8, 3 1/2l behind You Know Yourself (11-5) at Carlisle 2m 4f hcp chs 0-125 (3) gs in Nov.