Racecards
14:05 Leicester
William Hill Pick Your Places Handicap Chase (Class 5)
- 6 Runners
- Distance: 2m 6f 151y
- Going: Heavy
- Surface: Turf
- £7,000 added
- Winner: £3,697
- 2nd: £1,701
- 3rd: £850
- 4th: £426
- Form 15446-3
- Age 6
- Weight 12-0
- Official Rating 104
- Trainer Mrs M Rowley
- Jockey Charlie Deutsch
prominent, pressed leaders 5 out, led 4 out and soon faced challenge, pushed along after 2 out and cleared away, ran on well, eased run-in, comfortably
- Form 926-451
- Age 5
- Weight 11-8
- Official Rating 98
- Trainer D Pipe
- Jockey Jack Tudor
mid-division, headway to press leaders 3 out, ridden after 2 out, no extra and well held by winner before last
- Form P284-76
- Age 8
- Weight 11-5
- Official Rating 95
- Trainer J & A O'Neill
- Jockey Jonjo O'Neill Jr.
led, pushed along and headed 4 out, weakened next, pulled up before last
- Form 32141F
- Age 6
- Weight 11-4
- Official Rating 94
in rear, hit 4 out, plugged on into modest 3rd 2 out, never threatened
- Form 84023-P
- Age 6
- Weight 10-12
- Official Rating 88
- Trainer T R Gretton
- Jockey Lee Edwards
towards rear, mistake 12th, struggling after 5 out, tailed off and pulled up after 2 out
- Form 32-3385
- Age 11
- Weight 10-2
- Official Rating 72
- Trainer Mrs R Gasson
- Jockey James Best
tracked leaders, not fluent early and cajoled along at times, close up after 8th, ridden before 4 out, kept on until lost touch 2 out
Previous results
In depth
Verdict
File Illico is a previous course winner who has tumbled down the ratings but he’s shown little in two runs this term. The jury is also out on Moon Eagle while Bignorm is 4lb wrong in the weights but Justshortofabubble had just taken the lead at Ludlow when falling two out and won earlier at Bangor and Taunton. Val Dancer still has a bit of scope but we’ll stick with ROYAL MER, who justified market support in his first run over fences in this country at Ffos Las.
Formwatch
Val Dancer (IRE) 16-1 (10-12) Close up, dropped to rear 6th, pushed along 4 out, ridden and headway to go 3rd next, plugged on same pace, 3rd of 7, 21l behind Tightenourbelts (12-0) at Ludlow 2m 4f hcp (3) gs in Nov.
Royal Mer (FR) 11-4fav (11-10) Mid-division, went 4th after 11th, headway to press leader from 3 out, ridden after 2 out, stayed on and led closing stages, won at Ffos Las 2m 3f hcp (5) sft in Nov beating Boston Joe (12-0) by 1 1/4l, 7 ran.
File Illico (FR) 11-1 (11-9) In touch, ridden 2 out, no impression, 6th of 13, 22 3/4l behind Superstylin (10-8) at Lingfield 2m hcp (5) gs in Nov.
Justshortofabubble 9-2 (11-8) In rear, headway halfway, went second going easily 4 out, shaken up to lead after 3 out, fell heavily 2 out, at Ludlow 3m hcp (5) gs in Nov.
Moon Eagle (IRE) 80-1 (10-2) Detached in rear, tailed off and pulled up in back straight, at Warwick 2m 4f hcp (4) sft in Nov.
Bignorm (IRE) 16-1 (10-2) Prominent, led after 2nd, headed 3rd, led after 6th, headed 8th, weakened from next, 5th of 8, 24 1/2l behind Roger Rarebit (11-10) at Uttoxeter 2m 4f hcp (5) hvy in Nov.