Racecards
12:40 Musselburgh
188Bet Noel Fehily Gold Cup Blog Chase (Novices' Limited Handicap) (Class 4)
- 4 Runners
- Distance: 2m 195y
- Going: Good to Soft (Good in places)
- Surface: Turf
- £8,511 added
- Winner: £4,614
- 2nd: £1,355
- 3rd: £677
- 4th: £350
- Form 5-841B1
- Age 7
- Weight 11-8
- Official Rating 116
- Trainer D McCain Jnr
- Jockey B S Hughes
tracked leading pair, led 7th, hit next, jumped left final 3, shaken up before 2 out, 2 lengths ahead when hit last, headed and no extra final 75 yards
- Form 5-5222P
- Age 6
- Weight 11-4
- Official Rating 112
- Trainer C Grant
- Jockey Callum Bewley
led and disputed, headed 6th, lost 2nd next, chased leading pair, pushed long and one pace in 3rd before 4 out
- Form 64145F
- Age 8
- Weight 11-1
- Official Rating 109
- Trainer Miss Lucinda V Russell
- Jockey D R Fox
held up last, pushed along briefly before 5th, 2nd after 8th, hit 4 out, 2 lengths down last, stayed on to lead final 75 yards
- Form 25-PU35
- Age 7
- Weight 10-3
- Official Rating 93
- Trainer V Thompson
- Jockey Thomas Dowson
led and disputed, jumped left from 5th, chased winner 7th until after next, soon pushed along and weakened
In depth
Verdict
Winning point-to-pointer CELTIC FLAMES made a successful debut over regulation fences at Hexham in November but ran poorly in his next two starts before a much better effort here last time when falling at the last while challenging. He can gain compensation though Middlebrow looks a major threat as he attempts his third victory in his last four, though both of those successes came over further. An Laoch looked a certain future winner when runner-up in his first three starts over fences but blotted his copybook when tackling 3m here in December while Scorpo was a 500/1 chance when last of five at Catterick.
Formwatch
Middlebrow (IRE) 11-4 (10-13) Jumped left, in touch on outside, went 2nd and jumped badly left from 4 out, led 3 out, driven clear flat, kept on, won at Musselburgh 2m 4f hcp (4) gs in Jan beating Martiloo (10-13) by 3 1/2l, 6 ran.
An Laoch (IRE) 11-2 (12-3) Held up, in touch after 10th, weakened before 4 out, pulled up before 2 out, at Musselburgh 3m hcp (4) gd in Dec.
Celtic Flames (IRE) 14-1 (10-8) Held up behind, pushed along after 5 out, headway under pressure after next, switched inside approaching 2 out, pressed winner and every chance when fell last, at Musselburgh 2m 4f hcp (4) sft in Feb.
Scorpo (IRE) 500-1 (10-12) Soon last, tailed off when slow 4 out, last of 5, dist behind Cracking Find (11-4) at Catterick 2m 3f (4) sft in Mar.