Racecards
14:40 Musselburgh
Country Refreshments Handicap Hurdle (Class 4)
- 7 Runners
- Distance: 3m 110y
- Going: Good, Good to Soft in places
- Surface: Turf
- £4,000 added
- Form 22-3170
- Age 6
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 105
held up, headway to chase leaders after 4 out, outpaced after next, kept on, no impression
Kharak (FR)
277- Form 7F4P6P-
- Age 8
- Weight 11-10
- Official Rating 103
- Trainer Mrs S C Bradburne
- Jockey K Renwick
led, hit 4 out, headed approaching 3 out, soon weakened
- Form 1P1-361
- Age 8
- Weight 11-9
- Official Rating 102
- Trainer J Howard Johnson
- Jockey P J Brennan
tracked leader, headed approaching 3 out, soon headed, outpaced from next, kept on from last
- Form F05443
- Age 7
- Weight 11-5
- Official Rating 98
- Trainer R D E Woodhouse
- Jockey G Lee
tracked leaders, ridden approaching 3 out, chased winner approaching 2 out, no impression
Crackleando
25- Form 0-F0373
- Age 6
- Weight 10-9
- Official Rating 88
- Trainer Mrs J C McGregor
- Jockey K Mercer
held up in touch, weakened 4 out
- Form 61-11P5
- Age 7
- Weight 10-3
- Official Rating 82
- Trainer N G Richards
- Jockey A Dobbin
held up, not fluent 9th, smooth headway 4 out, led next, clear last, ran on well
- Form 400-900
- Age 8
- Weight 10-0
- Official Rating 69
- Trainer P Spottiswood
- Jockey P Kinsella
tracked leaders, weakened 4 out
In depth
Verdict
Magnificent Seven can stop Tickateal from repeating last year's victory in this race, with Bafana Boy the other likely candidate. Not too many can be fancied here, and despite going up a total of 6lb for his last-gasp effort here last time, Magnificent Seven is taken to maintain the form over Tickateal on today's terms. The latter travelled well throughout when the pair met here 16-days ago, but had no answer to the winner's late burst, and will struggle to turn the tables today. It was Richard Johnson who gave the selection a peach of a ride then, and Paddy Brennan is a more than able substitute. Bafana Boy is slightly better off at the weights after finishing fifth in the aforementioned contest, and as that was his first outing in nearly six months, he may do better. However, he was sent off favourite last time and failed to deliver the goods, so the jury is out on whether there will be enough improvement in him. The rest make no appeal, and we shall take Magnificent Seven to register another course-and-distance success.
Formwatch
Edgehill (IRE) 50-1 (11-10) Held up, hit 4 out, headway next, soon ridden and no impression, 10th of 20, 31l behind Rothbury (11-8) at Aintree 2m 4f nov hcp hdl 0-115 (3) gd in Nov.
Kharak (FR) 20-1 (11-8) In touch, pushed along after 6th, weakened next, tailed off when pulled up 3 out in race won by Imtihan (10-7) at Kelso 2m 6f hcp hdl 0-110 (4) sft in Apr, 17 ran.
Magnificent Seven (IRE) 8-1 (11-8) Tracked leader, led after 8th, headed before 3 out, lead again last, all out, won at Musselburgh 3m hcp hdl 0-100 (4) gd in Dec beating Compton Eclaire (10-9) by a hd, 17 ran.
Tickateal 5-1 (11-0) Mid-division, headway halfway, led approaching 3 out, headed last, no extra, 3rd of 17, 2l behind Magnificent Seven (11-8) at Musselburgh 3m hcp hdl 0-100 (4) gd in Dec.
Crackleando 16-1 (10-9) Held up, outpaced 6th, stayed on from 3 out, never dangerous, 3rd of 11, 18l behind Kempski (11-0) at Ayr 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-105 (4) hvy in Dec.
Bafana Boy 11-4fav (10-8) Behind, headway 11th, ridden approaching 3 out, hit 2 out, faded, 5th of 17, 6l behind Magnificent Seven (11-8) at Musselburgh 3m hcp hdl 0-100 (4) gd in Dec.
The Rooken (IRE) 100-1 (10-12) In touch, led 2nd to 4th, soon well behind, 14th of 15, well behind Pee Jay's Dream (10-12) at Newcastle 2m nov hdl (4) sft in Dec.