Racecards
15:45 Newbury
Opus Energy Handicap (rnd) (Class 5)
- 12 Runners
- Distance: 1m 7y
- Going: Good, Good to Soft in places
- Surface: Turf
- £4,000 added
- Winner: £2,590
- 2nd: £771
- 3rd: £385
- 4th: £192
- Form 270193
- Age 4
- Weight 9-6
- Official Rating 75
- Trainer J R Best
- Jockey Kieren Fox
held up towards rear, pushed along over 3f out, kept on inside final furlong, never going pace to trouble leaders
- Form 15-1148
- Age 5
- Weight 9-6
- Official Rating 75
- Trainer S Dow
- Jockey Kieren Fallon
slowly into stride, behind, headway on outside inside final 2f, stayed on inside final furlong, not pace to threaten leaders
- Form 43-0909
- Age 4
- Weight 9-5
- Official Rating 74
- Trainer A W Carroll
- Jockey N Callan
chased leading pair, hard ridden over 1f out, weakened final furlong
- Form 792-223
- Age 4
- Weight 9-5
- Official Rating 74
- Trainer R Hannon
- Jockey Richard Hughes
slight lead, pushed along over 3f out, headed over 2f out, chased leader, held when lost 2nd last half furlong, no extra soon after
- Form 255312
- Age 4
- Weight 9-5
- Official Rating 74
- Trainer A M Balding
- Jockey J Fortune
pulled hard early stages, chased leaders, ridden 2f out, weakened over 1f out, eased when no chance final furlong
- Form 583133
- Age 6
- Weight 9-4
- Official Rating 73
held up in mid division on inside, steady headway over 2f out, not clear run and switched to rails entering final furlong, ridden and stayed on gamely to lead last strides
- Form 450-223
- Age 7
- Weight 9-4
- Official Rating 73
- Trainer Miss Jo Crowley
- Jockey Dane O'Neill
mid-division, ridden 2f out, soon weakened
- Form 06-9792
- Age 6
- Weight 9-4
- Official Rating 73
- Trainer W R Swinburn
- Jockey A Kirby
soon crossed over to press leader, led over 2f out, soon hung left but stayed on well under pressure inside final furlong until caught last strides
- Form 0-16850
- Age 9
- Weight 9-2
- Official Rating 71
- Trainer J C Fox
- Jockey Ross Atkinson
sweating and led to start, pulled hard, behind leaders, still pulling on outside halfway, weakened entering final 2f
- Form 598385
- Age 7
- Weight 9-2
- Official Rating 71
- Trainer E G Bevan
- Jockey P Fitzsimons
chased leaders, ridden 2f out, weakened over 1f out
- Form 7-2199
- Age 3
- Weight 9-2
- Official Rating 75
- Trainer M A Jarvis
- Jockey P Robinson
held up towards rear, headway on outside from 2f out, stayed on inside final furlong, not pace to reach leaders
In depth
Verdict
Kieren Fox has struck up a partnership with Black N Brew but ground conditions aren't likely to suit the four-year-old and similar concerns put us off Seasonal Cross, who needs fast ground to be seen at his best. There are no such concerns surrounding Effigy but he's yet to win off a mark this high and may be playing for places in a race taken to go to ADVERTISE. Andrew Balding's charge is up another 3lbs following a decent second at Bath but he might get away with it against these with conditions ideal. He's progressed well all year and may have more improvement in him, a comment that also applies to Towbaat whose second to I'm A Dreamer in the spring reads very well indeed. She arrives under a cloud however and with Patavium Prince better on quicker ground Oh So Saucy may be the chief threat to our pick after a good run at Yarmouth.
Formwatch
Effigy 6-1 (9-7) Chased leaders, led on stands rail over 2f out, ridden and kept on well, headed inside final furlong, lost 2nd post, 3rd of 11, 1 1/4l behind Compton Blue (9-6) at Goodwood 1m hcp 0-80 (4) gd.
Black N Brew (USA) 8-1 (9-5) Soon pushed along in mid division, headway under pressure over 2f out, went 3rd over 1f out, kept on inside final furlong, 3rd of 13, 1 1/4l behind Tevez (9-3) at Kempton 1m hcp 0-75 (5) pol.
Seasonal Cross 12-1 (8-11) Dwelt in rear, not troubled leaders, 8th of 13, 8l behind Parvaaz (9-4) at Newmarket 1m hcp 0-90 (3) gd.
Club Tahiti 10-1 (9-10) Held up in rear, never a factor, 9th of 12, 14l behind Babycakes (9-4) at Sandown 1m 1f flls hcp 0-80 (4) gd.
Three Ducks 13-8fav (9-12) In touch, ridden over 2f out, every chance over 1f out, chased winner briefly inside final furlong, kept on, 3rd of 5, 2 1/4l behind Ashkalara (8-7) at Ffos Las 1m 2f flls hcp 0-80 (4) gd.
Advertise 5-2fav (9-6) Held up in mid-division, headway over 2f out, hard ridden to challenge over 1f out, stayed on strongly, never reached winner, 2nd of 11, 1/2l behind One Scoop Or Two (9-0) at Bath 1m hcp 0-80 (4) gd in Aug.
Oh So Saucy 8-1 (9-0) In touch, effort over 1f out, stayed on same pace final furlong, 3rd of 9, 4l behind Credit Swap (9-10) at Yarmouth 1m hcp 0-85 (4) sft.
Patavium Prince (IRE) 16-1 (9-12) Chased leaders, ridden over 1f out, kept on same pace, 3rd of 11, 2 1/2l behind Kilburn (9-10) at Windsor 1m hcp 0-75 (5) gf in Jul.
Willow Dancer (IRE) 17-2 (9-8) Tracked leaders, ridden to lead over 1f out, caught post, 2nd of 14, nk behind Tevez (9-6) at Leicester 1m hcp 0-75 (5) gd.
King's Caprice 50-1 (9-0) Prominent, took keen hold, ridden over 2f out, soon weakened, 10th of 15, 9l behind First Post (8-6) at Newbury 1m hcp 0-80 (4) gf in Jul.
Bold Cross (IRE) 40-1 (9-6) In touch, effort 2f out, stayed on same pace, 5th of 14, 4l behind Tevez (9-6) at Leicester 1m hcp 0-75 (5) gd.
Towbaat 6-1 (9-6) Tracked leaders, ridden and weakened 2f out, 9th of 12, 18l behind Dolphin Rock (9-3) at Haydock 1m 3yo hcp 0-80 (4) gs in Jun.