Racecards
13:55 Newbury
Stan James Handicap Chase (Class C)
- 15 Runners
- Distance: 3m
- Going: Good, Good to Soft in places
- Form 112-43U
- Age 12
- Weight 11-12
- Trainer B G Powell
- Jockey James Davies
led, mistake 2nd, headed next, chased leader, led again 5 out, headed approaching 3 out, soon weakened
- Form F31411
- Age 8
- Weight 11-12
- Trainer R Buckler
- Jockey B Hitchcott
held up in rear, not fluent 5th, headway under pressure approaching 5 out, every chance 3 out, outpaced from next
- Form 514120
- Age 9
- Weight 11-12
- Trainer R H Alner
- Jockey A Thornton
mid-division, headway 9th, went 2nd 5 out, led 3 out, headed approaching last, no extra flat
- Form F40U6-1
- Age 8
- Weight 11-10
- Trainer N J Henderson
- Jockey Andrew Tinkler
mid-division, headway 9th, weakened approaching 3 out
Desailly
21- Form 564-123
- Age 10
- Weight 11-9
- Trainer G Balding
- Jockey M Bradburne
held up towards rear, headway when mistake 4 out, joined leaders next, every chance last, kept on near finish
Mr Cospector
34- Form F-P0112
- Age 7
- Weight 11-9
- Trainer D Williams
- Jockey Mr J Diment
prominent, ridden 10th, mistake 4 out, soon beaten
Smarty (IRE)
22- Form 5PP/05-4
- Age 11
- Weight 11-2
- Trainer M Pitman
- Jockey Timmy Murphy
held up, stayed on from 2 out, jumped left last, never dangerous
- Form 1B2210
- Age 11
- Weight 11-2
- Trainer N & W Twiston-Davies
- Jockey C Llewellyn
led 3rd, hit 7th, headed 5 out, weakened 3 out
Mister One
18- Form P24634
- Age 13
- Weight 11-2
- Trainer C L Tizzard
- Jockey J Tizzard
chased leaders, lost place 11th, no chance when mistake 3 out
- Form F-12F14
- Age 7
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer T R George
- Jockey Paul Moloney
in touch, headway 4 out, joined leaders 3 out, pushed along to lead approaching last, ridden, stayed on flat
- Form 32231-F
- Age 11
- Weight 10-11
- Trainer Miss V Williams
- Jockey S Thomas
mid-division, fell 3rd
- Form 022030
- Age 8
- Weight 10-10
held up in touch, ridden 5 out, soon struggling
- Form 452532
- Age 8
- Weight 10-9
- Trainer R Rowe
- Jockey L P Aspell
held up, hampered and brought down 3rd
Wave Rock
35- Form 406340
- Age 9
- Weight 10-6
- Trainer P Hobbs & J White
- Jockey R Johnson
held up, not fluent 2nd, blundered 6th, weakened approaching 4 out
In depth
Verdict
In a competitive start to the day, we side with Desailly over Spring Grove, Prominent Profile and Ifni du Luc. The selection is a course and distance winner who ran well from today's mark when third over course and distance on his last run. He travelled well for a long way that day and is fully entitled to be competitive from his current mark. Despite never having won over this far, Spring Grove has every chance of doing so on breeding and might just find some improvement if patiently ridden by Andrew Thornton. He has the edge over Prominent Profile based on their Warwick runs over two-and-a-half mile in December, but Nigel Twiston-Davies' gelding is proven at the trip and has been holding his form pretty well this season. Ifni du Luc comes into the argument based on his Kempton win from a six-pound lower mark last time on his first run of the season and there is no doubt that, conceivably, he remains well-handicapped. Of the others, Rum Pointer is on the up, while Wave Rock is thrown in on the best of his 2000/2001 form but has been below par so far this year. Lord 'N' Master ran well at Sandown last time, although he has a six-pound rise in the ratings to defy if he is to score here. Bee And Bee has shown promise in novice events and is at least at the right end of the weights, while Mr Cospector's winning run came to a halt courtesy of the handicapper last time. The 2001 Martell Grand National runner-up, Smarty, will also attract supporters but he may find one or two too good for him here. Overall, then, in a competitive affair, we will side with Desailly.