Racecards
14:40 Newbury
Unicoin Homes Novices' Chase (grade 2) (Class 1)
- 5 Runners
- Distance: 3m
- Going: Good to Soft-Soft in places on Hurdles course.
- Surface: Turf
- £35,000 added
- Form 12127-1
- Age 6
- Weight 11-9
- Trainer P F Nicholls
- Jockey S Thomas
led, mistake 3rd, hit 14th, ridden and hung left from approaching 2 out, headed last, hung left under pressure, no impression flat
- Form 848-451
- Age 6
- Weight 11-9
- Official Rating 124
- Trainer E J O'Grady
- Jockey P W Flood
chased leaders, ridden 4 out, weakened soon after
- Form 343-312
- Age 5
- Weight 11-5
- Trainer P Hobbs & J White
- Jockey R Johnson
tracked leader, pushed along 3 out, challenged 2 out, led last, driven out
- Form 1444P3-
- Age 11
- Weight 11-2
- Official Rating 99
- Trainer Miss Z C Davison
- Jockey R Lucey-Butler
always last, losing touch when blundered 11th, tailed off
- Form 60/221-P
- Age 6
- Weight 11-2
- Trainer N J Gifford
- Jockey L P Aspell
raced in 4th, mistake 8th (water), outpaced after 14th
In depth
Verdict
Gungadu did not beat a great deal when making a winning chase debut at Cheltenham last month and looks to have been found a suitable opportunity to follow up here and score at the main expense of Boychuk and Letterman. The last mentioned makes the journey over from Ireland on the back of an improved display at Thurles last time and Edward O'Grady's gelding has to be respected but lacks the class of the selection. Wee Robbie was similarly not as good as some of these over hurdles and may do better in time but Nick Gifford's gelding would need to improve on the evidence of what he showed on his chasing debut to take a hand here. Roman Rampage is readily opposed and of more interest may be the Philip Hobbs-trained Boychuk. He has not looked to be a natural over fences though and a safer bet looks to be Gungadu, who is taken to maintain his unbeaten record over fences and provide trainer Paul Nicholls with another winner.
Formwatch
Gungadu 1-2fav (11-0) Jumped right, made virtually all, well in command after 2 out, stayed on strongly, easily, won at Cheltenham 3m nov chs (2) gs in Oct beating Openide (11-6) by 11l, 8 ran.
Letterman (IRE) 5-1 (11-12) Chased leaders, 5th before 7 out, left 2nd from next, led 3 out, ridden and stayed on well to assert run-in, won at Thurles 2m 6f beg chs gs beating Back To Bid (11-12) by 2l, 15 ran.
Boychuk (IRE) 6-1 (11-10) Held up behind, headway 6th, ridden 4 out, went 2nd 3 out, mistake 2 out, kept on well but no chance with winner, 2nd of 5, 3 1/2l behind Turko (10-13) at Wincanton 2m 5f nov chs Grd 2 (1) gd.
Roman Rampage 100-1 (9-9) Held up, headway 4 out, challenged for 2nd from 3 out, kept on same pace, 3rd of 14, 3l behind Hazeljack (9-10) at Fontwell 3m 4f hcp chs 0-135 (3) sft in Apr.
Wee Robbie 9-4 (10-12) Chased leaders, hit 6th, weakened and eased 3 out, behind when pulled up 2 out in race won by Predator (11-8) at Huntingdon 2m 4f nov chs (3) gf, 11 ran.