Racecards
16:40 Leicester
Trendhorses.co.uk Dick Saunders Novices' Hunters' Chase (Class 5)
- 9 Runners
- Distance: 2m 4f 110y
- Going: Soft, Good to Soft in places
- Surface: Turf
Bill Haze
648- Form R22P1/2-
- Age 10
- Weight 12-0
- Trainer P Dando
- Jockey Mr Rhys Hughes
led, hung left approaching 6th, headed 3 out, ridden, one pace from 2 out
- Form 1P4-1F4
- Age 8
- Weight 12-0
- Trainer Mrs Caroline Bailey
- Jockey Mr R Cope
held up, headway 3rd, every chance 3 out, soon ridden, 3rd, weakening when refused last
Ikemba (IRE)
318- Form 97P/21-
- Age 9
- Weight 12-0
- Trainer J Groucott
- Jockey Mr W Hill
prominent, mistake 2nd, mistake, unseated rider 8th
- Form UP4-3P1
- Age 7
- Weight 12-0
- Trainer Andrew Martin
- Jockey Mr Andrew Martin
prominent, jumped left, hit 2nd, lost place 4th, behind when mistake 10th, left 3rd last
Raregem
271- Form 221-F2F
- Age 8
- Weight 12-0
- Trainer M Biddick
- Jockey Mr William Biddick
held up, headway 8th, led 3 out, clear last, comfortably
- Form F41P34
- Age 9
- Weight 12-0
- Trainer Miss L Blackford
- Jockey Mr N Harris
prominent, pushed along 10th, weakened approaching 4 out, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out
- Form U4-P123
- Age 10
- Weight 12-0
- Trainer Mrs Nicola Pollock
- Jockey Mr G Kerr
mid-division, headway 6th, blundered, unseated rider 7th
Fizzical Fizz
291- Form 3-1
- Age 7
- Weight 11-7
- Trainer Mrs D Grissell
- Jockey Mr P G Hall
held up, headway 8th, ridden approaching 4 out, soon weakened
- Form 41-PPP8
- Age 6
- Weight 11-7
- Trainer Ian Howe
- Jockey Mr Ian Howe
behind, blundered badly, unseated rider 4th
In depth
Verdict
A competitive Hunters Chase with Raregem, Cloudy Bay Boy, Fizzical Fizz and To The Top all worthy of respect but the vote goes to the last named. Having won between the flags twice already this season To The Top has fitness very much on his side as most of his rivals are having their seasonal reappearances. Raregem was in the process of running a fine race at the back end of last season when coming to grief three out when in contention in a Championship race at Wetherby. But he has had jumping problems in the past and it has let him down too. Cloudy Bay Boy and Fizzical Fizz come from yards that clear up in these events and are therefore both worth noting in the betting market. But for the winner we return to To The Top.
Formwatch
Bill Haze 6-4 (12-0) 2nd of 3, 10l behind Silver Castle (12-0) at Bonvilston 3m ptp gd in May '04.
Cloudy Bay Boy (12-5) Beaten when unseated rider last, remounted, distance behind The Noble Roman (12-5) at Higham 3m pt-to-pt gd-frm in Jan, 6 ran.
Ikemba (IRE) 11-10fav (12-0) won at Eaton Hall 3m ptp sft in Apr beating Joe Brown (11-7) by 6l, 6 ran.
Nailed On 3-1 (12-0) won at Dunthrop 2m 4f ptp gd in Jan beating Cappacurry (12-0) by 4l, 9 ran.
Raregem 33-1 (11-7) Held up in rear, not fluent 8th, headway 5 out, close up when fell 4 out in race won by Lord Beau (11-7) at Stratford 3m 4f nov hts chs (H) gd in May, 16 ran.
River Dante (IRE) 20-1 (11-0) Tracked leader, ridden 8th, no impression, 4th of 9, 19l behind Dawton (11-0) at N Abbot 2m beg chs (E) gf in Jul.
The Vintage Dancer (IRE) 16-1 (12-5) 3rd of 13, 11l behind Rhythm King (12-5) at Cottenham 3m ptp gf in Jan.
Fizzical Fizz 4-1 (11-9) won at Detling 3m ptp gd in Apr beating Luteur Des Pictons (12-0) by 5l, 14 ran.
Midnight Arrival 20-1 (11-7) 8th of 12, 39l behind Itzacliche (12-0) at Dunthrop 3m ptp gd in Jan.
To The Top 7-4 (12-5) won at Tweseldown 3m ptp gd beating Simply The One (12-5) by 15l, 6 ran.