Racecards
15:45 Newbury
Stan James Intermediate Hurdle (Class A) (A Limited Handicap) (Registered As The Gerry Feilden) (Listed Race)
- 11 Runners
- Distance: 2m 110y
- Going: Good, Good to Soft in places on the chase course.
Self Defense
226- Form 240012-
- Age 7
- Weight 11-10
- Trainer P Chamings
- Jockey F Keniry
in touch, challenged from 4 out, ridden and stayed on from same pace next
- Form 450-033
- Age 4
- Weight 11-4
- Trainer A King
- Jockey R Thornton
held up in mid-division, smooth headway to track leaders 3 out, every chance next, ridden and weakened before last
- Form 11-
- Age 4
- Weight 11-3
- Trainer J & A O'Neill
- Jockey A P McCoy
held up in rear, headway from 3 out, 5th and staying on same pace when fell last
- Form 51002-4
- Age 6
- Weight 11-2
- Trainer P F Nicholls
- Jockey Ruby Walsh
held up in rear, smooth headway to track leaders from 2 out, joined winner last, one pace and held flat
Lough Derg (FR)
227- Form 11521-
- Age 4
- Weight 11-1
- Trainer M C Pipe
- Jockey T Scudamore
tracked leaders, led 4th, blundered 3 out, headed and weakened next
- Form 3160-
- Age 4
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer G & J Moore
- Jockey J E Moore
took keen hold, tracked winner, led 3rd to next, weakened after 3 out
- Form 12-13U2
- Age 5
- Weight 10-10
- Trainer G & J Moore
- Jockey James Davies
tracked leaders, ridden 4 out, soon weakened
- Form 3/1046-0
- Age 6
- Weight 10-5
- Trainer Miss H Knight
- Jockey Jimmy McCarthy
in touch, challenged from 4 out, upsides winner and every chance 2 out, weakened and hit last
Magic Mistress
189- Form 31-2
- Age 5
- Weight 10-4
- Trainer N J Henderson
- Jockey M A Fitzgerald
held up in mid-division, effort and going well 3 out, weakened after next, no chance when slightly hampered last
- Form 2165-
- Age 7
- Weight 10-4
- Trainer A M Balding
- Jockey Timmy Murphy
led to 3rd, stayed close up, challenged 3 out, led narrowly next, joined last, stayed on gamely flat
- Form 3/22253-
- Age 7
- Weight 10-4
- Trainer Ian Williams
- Jockey D R Dennis
always behind, pushed along after 4th, hit 4 out, no chance when mistake 2 out
Previous results
In depth
Verdict
In the card's finale we will side Self Defense ahead of Howle Hill, Adopted Hero and Exotic Dancer. While he has not quite lived up to the hopes entertained for him following his very good fourth, when a novice, in the 2003 Champion Hurdle, Self Defense proved on the Flat last season that he still retains a lot of basic ability. A switch to Patrick Chamings may also have helped to refocus him, although Emma Lavelle did a great job with him beforehand. He can go well, as can the recent Elite Hurdle third, Howle Hill, who had Albuhera well behind him in that race and can confirm those placings, and who had Adopted Hero seven lengths behind him in the JCB Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham in March, although the latter is six pounds better off at the weights now, also looks set to run a good race. Martin Pipe's Lough Derg would have been interesting but for the facts that Timmy Murphy is riding Distant Prospect and Jamie Moore is on Adopted Hero. Decent though he is, Distant Prospect probably needs to improve to score but Jonjo O'Neill's French import, Exotic Dancer, is certainly one that should be paid all due respect. Overall, though, in what is a good line-up for the Gerry Feilden, we will side with Self Defense.