Racecards
15:00 Kempton Park
BetVictor 6 Place Grand National Handicap (Class 5)
- 7 Runners
- Distance: 1m 2f
- Going: Standard
- Surface: Polytrack
- £4,000 added
- Winner: £2,588
- 2nd: £770
- 3rd: £385
- 4th: £192
- Form 36525-6
- Age 4
- Weight 9-7
- Official Rating 70
- Trainer S Hodgson
- Jockey Jim Crowley
led 2f, tracked winner, ridden over 2f out, weakened final furlong
Sabre Rock
222- Form 2/47306-
- Age 4
- Weight 9-6
- Official Rating 69
- Trainer J R Best
- Jockey S J Drowne
close up, pushed along over 2f out, ridden to chase winner over 1f out, weakened final furlong
- Form 781001-
- Age 4
- Weight 9-5
- Official Rating 68
held up towards rear, wide into straight 2f out, headway approaching final furlong, stayed on one pace final furlong
- Form 3142-23
- Age 4
- Weight 9-4
- Official Rating 67
- Trainer A J Lidderdale
- Jockey Shelley Birkett
close up, ridden over 2f out, weakened inside final furlong
Cathedral
12- Form 0-53334
- Age 5
- Weight 9-3
- Official Rating 66
- Trainer E De Giles
- Jockey Oisin Murphy
dwelt headway to lead after 2f, quickened clear over 1f out, comfortable
- Form 183935-
- Age 5
- Weight 9-2
- Official Rating 65
- Trainer J G Portman
- Jockey Ned Curtis
in rear, wide into straight 2f out, soon ridden, kept on inside final furlong, not trouble leaders
- Form 9700/21
- Age 5
- Weight 8-12
- Official Rating 61
- Trainer L Wadham
- Jockey Robert Tart
in rear, headway 8f out, in touch, effort over 1f out, went 2nd inside final furlong, no threat to winner
In depth
Verdict
Posh Boy won twice on the Polytrack last year and will be winning again this term. Candy Kitten was sent off favourite at Lingfield last time but found a couple too good and Cathedral came up short by a couple of lengths at the same track earlier this month when Strong Conviction was well beaten. MINSTRELS GALLERY missed the whole of 2013 but had plummeted down the weights before that. He took advantage at Lingfield on his latest start and Lucy Wadham's charge gets the nod as he remains well treated on his best form despite a 6lb rise.
Formwatch
Strong Conviction 33-1 (9-4) Soon led, ridden and headed over 1f out, no extra inside final furlong, 6th of 9, 4 1/2l behind Havelovewilltravel (9-5) at Lingfield 1m 2f hcp 0-75 (5) pol.
Sabre Rock 14-1 (9-6) In touch, ridden 3f out, weakened 2f out, last of 6, 21l behind Miss Marjurie (9-7) at Lingfield 1m 2f 3yo hcp 0-75 (5) gf in Aug.
Posh Boy (IRE) 5-1 (9-5) Held up in rear, headway over 2f out, ridden to lead approaching final furlong, kept on strongly, won at Kempton 1m 3f 3yo hcp 0-65 (6) pol in Oct beating Hero's Story (9-1) by 2 3/4l, 9 ran.
Candy Kitten 6-4fav (9-5) Tracked leaders, pushed along 2f out, kept on same pace, 3rd of 4, 1 3/4l behind Waveguide (9-0) at Lingfield 1m 2f hcp 0-70 (5) pol in Feb.
Cathedral 9-2 (8-5) Steadied start, in touch in rear, switched left and headway over 1f out, ridden and no impression final furlong, 4th of 9, 2l behind Havelovewilltravel (9-5) at Lingfield 1m 2f hcp 0-75 (5) pol.
Balmoral Castle 4-1 (9-1) Mid-division, driven and headway over 3f out, soon ridden and weakened, 5th of 8, 12l behind Collodi (9-0) at Windsor 1m hcp 0-70 (5) hvy in Oct.
Minstrels Gallery (IRE) 9-4 (9-4) Tracked leaders, led approaching final furlong, ridden and ran on, won at Lingfield 1m 2f hcp (0-55) (6) pol beating Litmus (9-6) by 3l, 11 ran.