Racecards
14:05 Kelso
John Smith's No Nonsense Novices' Chase (Class 2)
- 5 Runners
- Distance: 2m 6f 110y
- Going: Heavy, Soft in places
- Surface: Turf
- £20,000 added
- Form 1PP-F13
- Age 6
- Weight 11-9
- Official Rating 117
- Trainer H P Hogarth
- Jockey P Kinsella
chased leaders, left disputing 2nd 12th, ridden 2 out, soon no extra
- Form 5-9P941
- Age 6
- Weight 11-2
- Official Rating 107
- Trainer Mrs A F Tullie
- Jockey D C Costello
made all, went clear flat
- Form 342-21P
- Age 5
- Weight 10-6
- Official Rating 112
- Trainer D McCain Jnr
- Jockey Stephen Craine
held up in touch, left disputing 2nd 12th, went clear 2nd 2 out, not fluent last, ridden and found nil flat
In depth
Verdict
An interesting little contest which could well prove trappy but we will side with the proven course form of More Likely to be good enough to hold off L¿Antartique, Day Of Claies and Original Fly. The selection was a wide margin winner here in similarly bottomless ground last time and appeared to relish the mud. Although he didn¿t beat much, the manner of his success, taking the race by the scruff of the neck and seeing out the trip like a thorough stayer augurs well for this repeat bid and with the others having bits to prove we take him to follow up. L¿Antartique is an obvious danger based on hurdling form. He also won a chase last time out over a shorter trip than this, but he too thrives in the mud and if there is any improvement then he will be tough to beat. However, he has not raced here before and he will not find it as easy as Bangor. Day Of Claies was a Sedgefield winner on his penultimate start but was hammered last time and has it to prove on ground this heavy, while Original Fly may be stronger in opposition with a Wincanton chase success under his belt and some heavy ground form to boot. But More Likely did nothing wrong here last time and can make a bold bid to double up.
Formwatch
Day Of Claies (FR) 8-1 (11-5) Tracked leaders, blundered 8th, chased winner approaching 2 out, hit last, lost 2nd towards finish, 3rd of 6, 18l behind Pay Attention (10-11) at Wetherby 2m 4f nov chs (3) sft in Dec.
L'Antartique (FR) 1-3fav (11-4) Chased leader, led 5 out, headed next, ridden approaching 2 out, led approaching last, driven out, won at Bangor 2m 4f beg chs (4) hvy in Dec beating Regal Heights (11-1) by 1l, 4 ran.
Bareme (FR) 7-2fav (11-10) Held up rear, headway after 3 out, chased leader and wandered left after 2 out, weakened before last, 5th of 10, 7l behind Barton Nic (11-10) at Sandown 2m hcp hdl 0-125 (D) gs in Nov '04.
More Likely 11-1 (10-13) Made all, ridden approaching 2 out, ran on well flat, won at Kelso 2m 6f mrs nov chs (4) hvy beating Delray Beach (10-4) by 18l, 4 ran.
Original Fly (FR) 5-1 (10-5) Hampered 1st, towards rear, reminders 7th, gradually lost touch, tailed off and pulled up 4 out in race won by Whereareyounow (10-5) at Cheltenham 2m 5f cnd hcp chs 0-125 (3) sft in Dec, 12 ran.