Racecards
15:00 Newbury
European Breeders Fund Crandon Park Stud Mares' 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle Final (A Limited Handicap) (Cla (Class A)
- 19 Runners
- Distance: 2m 5f
- Going: Good, Good to Soft in places
- Form 1-31211
- Age 7
- Weight 11-10
- Trainer K Bailey & M Nicholls
- Jockey J P McNamara
led to 5th, weakened quickly 4 out, behind when pulled up before next
Tisho
84- Form F-31110
- Age 8
- Weight 11-8
- Trainer P R Webber
- Jockey T Doyle
chased leader, led 5th, blundered 7th, headed 4 out, not fluent 3 out, soon weakened
- Form 320-116
- Age 6
- Weight 11-8
- Trainer C L Tizzard
- Jockey J Tizzard
in touch, hit 1st, weakened after 7th
Shaadiva
23- Form 3-311P2
- Age 6
- Weight 11-5
- Trainer A King
- Jockey R Thornton
held up in rear, ridden and brief effort approaching 4 out, soon weakened, behind when pulled up before last
- Form 122433
- Age 6
- Weight 11-4
- Trainer Miss S Smith
- Jockey C Bolger
in touch, not fluent 3 out, every chance when jumped slowly last, ran on strongly final 100 yards, took 2nd near post
- Form 40-3315
- Age 5
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer R Johnson Houghton
- Jockey M Bradburne
always prominent, went 2nd after 7th, led and hit 4 out, headed after 2 out, no extra flat
- Form 1-11301
- Age 6
- Weight 11-0
prominent, pushed along 7th, weakened approaching 4 out
- Form 12132
- Age 5
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer P Hobbs & J White
- Jockey P Flynn
held up, mistake 4th and 7th, hampered and nearly brought down on flat after, headway 4 out, led after 2 out, went left and headed last, stayed on flat
Sword Lady
16- Form 6-12331
- Age 6
- Weight 10-13
- Trainer Mrs S Williams
- Jockey R Walford
pushed along 4th, always behind
- Form 011
- Age 8
- Weight 10-9
- Trainer Miss V Williams
- Jockey S Thomas
always prominent, went 2nd approaching 3 out, every chance 2 out, weakened last
- Form 0234
- Age 6
- Weight 10-9
- Trainer Miss H Knight
- Jockey J Culloty
ridden to 6th, always towards rear
- Form U3-1140
- Age 5
- Weight 10-7
- Trainer J Mullins
- Jockey A Thornton
held up towards rear, headway approaching 4 out, led last, kept on well
- Form 031356
- Age 6
- Weight 10-6
- Trainer Mrs P Robeson
- Jockey Jimmy McCarthy
held up, lost place 6th, tailed off when pulled up before 2 out
Tirikumba
41- Form 166-203
- Age 8
- Weight 10-4
- Trainer S G Griffiths
- Jockey Mr R Stephens
held up, headway on inside approaching 7th, weakened approaching last
- Form 5331
- Age 4
- Weight 10-4
- Trainer N Hawke
- Jockey P J Brennan
mid-division, headway after 7th, every chance when bad mistake 2 out, one pace flat
- Form 1-4332
- Age 6
- Weight 10-4
- Trainer K Bailey & M Nicholls
- Jockey T Scudamore
held up towards rear, headway approaching 4 out, ridden 2 out, stayed on flat
- Form 3222-03
- Age 10
- Weight 10-4
- Trainer J Smith
- Jockey Timmy Murphy
mid-division, headway 6th, weakened 4 out
- Form 264502
- Age 7
- Weight 10-4
- Trainer N & W Twiston-Davies
- Jockey C Llewellyn
held up in touch, reminders approaching 5th, soon lost place, well behind 7th, ran on from 2 out, nearest finish
Aifung (IRE)
16- Form 11-5413
- Age 6
- Weight 10-4
- Trainer R Buckler
- Jockey B Hitchcott
mid-division, ridden and weakened approaching 4 out
In depth
Verdict
This mares-only final often produces a very good line-up and this year's race is no exception. Our shortlist of possible winners consists of Henrietta, Supreme Serenade, Easibrook Jane, Material World and Shaadiva. This is a very tough race to solve but Henrietta comes into this contest relatively fresh, having had just one run this year, and bears the hallmark of having been aimed at the race. Of course, that comment applies to a number of these but we span the wheel of our mind and that is where the theoretical ball landed. The nicely-bred Supreme Serenade should go well, while Easibrook Jane and Shaadiva have already done well this season so have a little less to prove than a number of the field. Material World is added to the list because she has so far shown her best form in the spring. Most of the others have the look of being fairly handicapped. While Rock Garden wears blinkers for the first time today, she has a bit to find with Shaadiva based on Huntingdon form in December. And therein lies another conundrum when it comes to assessing this race. Fillies and mares tend to have different times of the year when they show their very best form. This time of year is great for that, when the warmth of the spring brings about a transformation in a number of horses - and humans for that matter. So, while a number of these will have had enough for the year, others will be going about their racing with renewed vigour and enthusiasm. All of this has to be borne in mind and, with it very much in mind, we offer up Henrietta as the possible winner of this race.