Racecards
14:50 Musselburgh
Country Refreshments Selling Hurdle (Class 5)
- 9 Runners
- Distance: 2m
- Going: Good to Soft, Soft in places
- Surface: Turf
- £3,000 added
- Winner: £1,952
- 2nd: £573
- 3rd: £286
- 4th: £143
- Form 1-59000
- Age 5
- Weight 11-8
- Official Rating 95
- Trainer L Lennon
- Jockey J P O'farrell
chased leading trio, ridden 5th, soon lost place, tailed off
- Form P54F/55-
- Age 7
- Weight 11-5
- Official Rating 90
- Trainer W G Young
- Jockey Ryan Mania
took keen hold, held up, headway to 5th 3rd, weakened 6th, tailed off and pulled up before 3 out
- Age 7
- Weight 11-5
held up towards rear, struggling in modest 6th before 3 out, plugged on, tailed off
- Form 534085
- Age 5
- Weight 11-5
- Official Rating 66
- Trainer F P Murtagh
- Jockey B P Harding
chased leaders, 4th under pressure after 6th, beaten when hit 3 out, no chance when hit last, tailed off
- Form 2307/P1-
- Age 11
- Weight 11-5
- Official Rating 109
- Trainer Jason Cairns
- Jockey C O'Farrell
chased leader until after 6th, stayed in 3rd, under pressure and held when hit 3 out, hit last
- Form 44/669P-
- Age 11
- Weight 11-5
- Official Rating 137
- Trainer J Howard Johnson
- Jockey B S Hughes
jumped left, led, ridden before 2 out, soon joined, hung left flat, no extra and headed final strides
- Form P6-0
- Age 7
- Weight 11-5
always behind, ridden along 4th, soon strugging, tailed off
- Age 6
- Weight 11-5
- Trainer J S Goldie
- Jockey R McGrath
took keen hold in rear, mistake 2nd, tailed off 6th, pulled up before next
- Form 333-97
- Age 5
- Weight 11-5
- Official Rating 105
- Trainer J S Goldie
- Jockey G Lee
took keen hold, tracked leading pair, went 2nd 6th and reminders soon after, challenged and upsides 2 out, not fluent last, driven flat, stayed on to lead last strides
In depth
Verdict
It's sad to see the once-useful chaser Lennon in a selling hurdle as he was once rated 152 over the bigger obstacles. Whether he's still got it in him is an unknown and he's returning from a long break but he's a different class animal to these rivals. DANEHILLSUNDANCE, twice a winner on the Flat last year, makes his hurdling bow and was better than this grade on the level. He wouldn't need to be a world-beater to take this and he gets the vote to outpace his rivals. Pokfulham showed a little promise in novice company here a year ago and though Lakil House hasn't been seen since landing a point-to-point at Maralin last February, connections wouldn't be travelling from Ireland for a poor seller unless they thought he could be successful.
Formwatch
Wee Sonny (IRE) 25-1 (11-0) Keen hold and chased leaders, 8th halfway, headway into 5th 4 out, ridden and weakened before next, 15th of 18, 30l behind Sole Witness (11-7) at Down Royal 2m cond hcp hdl 80-102 hvy in Dec.
Autumn Harvest 7-1 (10-12) Led into start, held up towards rear, headway approaching 3 out, weakened before 2 out, 5th of 14, 31l behind Power Shared (10-6) at Hereford 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-110 (4) sft in Dec '09.
Danehillsundance (IRE) 8-1 (9-13) Held up in 6th off the pace, ridden 3f out, edged right and no impression over 1f out, 7th of 9, 7l behind Shadowtime (9-6) at Beverley 1m hcp 0-85 (4) gf in Jul (flat).
King's Chorister 100-1 (10-7) Chased leaders, mistake and left 2nd 3rd, led next, hit 5th, soon headed, weakened approaching last, 5th of 7, 38l behind Riverscape (10-5) at Perth 2m clm hdl (4) sft in Sep.
Lakil House (IRE) 7-2 (12-0) Alw cl up, chsd ldr from 3out, no impress in mod 3rd & lft ld, ko, won at Maralin 3m ire ptp sft in Feb beating Classofhisown (12-0) by 15l, 6 ran.
Lennon (IRE) 10-1 (11-1) Behind from 5th, tailed off when pulled up before 4 out, in a race won by Chaninbar (10-8) at Aintree 2m hcp chs G3 (1) gs in Apr, 16 ran.
Mississippian (IRE) 40-1 (11-5) Held up towards rear and pulled hard, never a factor, 14th of 16, well behind Darna (11-5) at Ayr 2m mdn hdl (5) gs.
Mr Lu 100-1 (11-5) Held up towards rear, blundered 4 out, never dangerous, last of 16, well behind Darna (11-5) at Ayr 2m mdn hdl (5) gs.
Pokfulham (IRE) 12-1 (11-4) Always towards rear, never dangerous, 7th of 12, 25l behind Cunning Clarets (11-7) at Ayr 2m hcp hdl 0-115 (4) gs.
The Joker (IRE) 25-1 (10-11) Always towards rear, fell 4 out, in a race won by Kyoto Summit (10-11) at Down Royal 2m 4f hcp hdl 80-102 sft in Nov, 20 ran.