Racecards
16:25 Newbury
Aon Standard Open National Hunt Flat (Class A)
- 24 Runners
- Distance: 2m 110y
- Going: Good
- Form 11
- Age 6
- Weight 11-10
- Trainer V R A Dartnall
- Jockey Antony Evans
mid-division, headway 7f out, ridden to lead 3f out, headed over 1f out, not quicken final furlong
Celtic Son (FR)
366- Form 1-
- Age 5
- Weight 11-7
held up in touch, headway 6f out, every chance 3f out, weakened well over 1f out
- Form 12
- Age 5
- Weight 11-7
- Trainer Jamie Poulton
- Jockey C Bolger
mid-division, pushed along 7f out, effort over 5f out, weakened well over 2f out
- Form 1-
- Age 6
- Weight 11-7
- Trainer S Gollings
- Jockey R Thornton
mid-division, headway halfway, hung right and weakened over 5f out, tailed off
- Form 0-0
- Age 6
- Weight 11-3
- Trainer S Lewis
- Jockey J M Maguire
led early, left in lead after 2f, headed 6f out, weakened quickly
- Form 3
- Age 6
- Weight 11-3
- Trainer Mrs Susan Nock
- Jockey S Stronge
in touch, ran green and weakened 3f out
- Form 2
- Age 5
- Weight 11-3
- Trainer P F Nicholls
- Jockey Ruby Walsh
held up in rear, headway 5f out, weakened 3f out
- Form 2
- Age 5
- Weight 11-3
- Trainer C L Tizzard
- Jockey J Tizzard
always prominent, ridden 3f out, one pace final 2f
- Form 63
- Age 6
- Weight 11-3
- Trainer M Bradstock
- Jockey M Batchelor
keen, soon chasing leader, carried wide bend after 2f, prominent until weakened over 4f out
- Form P-1
- Age 6
- Weight 11-3
- Trainer N J Henderson
- Jockey M Foley
held up, headway halfway, outpaced 4f out, stayed on well final 2f
- Age 5
- Weight 11-3
- Trainer R Buckler
- Jockey A Honeyball
held up in rear, headway 5f out, weakened 3f out
- Form 6-2
- Age 6
- Weight 11-3
- Trainer Mrs A Bowlby
- Jockey J E Moore
prominent until ridden and weakened over 4f out
- Age 5
- Weight 11-3
- Trainer A M Balding
- Jockey R Johnson
held up in rear, headway halfway, weakened 3f out
Mardello
35- Form 0-1
- Age 6
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer N J Henderson
- Jockey Andrew Tinkler
mid-division, pushed along and weakened 7f out, tailed off
Secret Ploy
44- Form 11
- Age 4
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer H Morrison
- Jockey Timmy Murphy
took keen hold early, prominent, lost place on inside over 5f out, headway 3f out, led over 1f out, pushed out
- Form 312
- Age 4
- Weight 10-11
- Trainer N & W Twiston-Davies
- Jockey C Llewellyn
soon led and keen, ran wide and headed bend after 2f, prominent, led again 6f out, headed 3f out, weakened final furlong
- Age 4
- Weight 10-7
- Trainer P R Webber
- Jockey T Doyle
mid-division, effort 6f out, weakened over 3f out
In depth
Verdict
This looks to be the best bumper run this season with several unbeaten records on the line and among those with chances are Celtic Sun and Demarco, plus dual winners Secret Ploy and Mount Clerigo but the vote goes to Blushing Bull. The Paul Nicholls-trained gelding has a neck to find with Mount Clerigo on running at Uttoxeter last month, in a race where the first two were 26 lengths clear, but the selection is entitled to improve for what was his debut outing and the son of Makbul should appreciate the faster surface here. Celtic Son makes his debut for Martin Pipe having scored on his only start in Ireland, while Kitski, another winner in Ireland has since joined Stuart Gollings. The four-year-old Secret Ploy has to be respected but is stepping up in trip and, along with Baby Run, faces no easy task against older rivals. Bob Bob Bobbin a fair second in a decent race at Chepstow on his debut is another worthy of a mention along with Nicky Henderson's Ludlow winner Demarco but in a potentially informative contest it is Blushing Bull that gets the vote.