Racecards
13:15 Newbury
Stan James Mandarin Handicap Chase (Class D )
- 17 Runners
- Distance: 3m
- Going: Good to Soft
Christopher
19- Form 315-212
- Age 7
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 125
- Trainer P Hobbs & J White
- Jockey R Johnson
not fluent, behind, mistake 3rd, driven and in touch 14th, stayed on under pressure from next, never going pace to reach leaders
- Form 1F3152
- Age 7
- Weight 11-11
- Official Rating 124
- Trainer G Macaire
- Jockey Jacques Ricou
held up in mid-division, smooth headway from 4 out, chased leaders 2 out, led narrowly last, hard ridden run-in, headed final strides
- Form 1F21-04
- Age 5
- Weight 11-8
- Official Rating 121
always behind
- Form 141U-02
- Age 7
- Weight 11-8
- Official Rating 121
- Trainer T R George
- Jockey J M Maguire
behind, headway under pressure and close up 14th, driven approaching 4 out, steadily weakened
Sir Talbot
15- Form 21242-2
- Age 10
- Weight 11-7
- Official Rating 120
- Trainer J A B Old
- Jockey C Llewellyn
always behind, mistake 14th, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out
- Form 312-P25
- Age 8
- Weight 11-7
- Official Rating 120
- Trainer J Parkinson & S Smith
- Jockey D Elsworth
prominent, went 2nd 12th, led after 14th, headed 4 out, chased leader to 2 out, one pace before last
- Form 5P31-2P
- Age 14
- Weight 11-7
- Official Rating 120
- Trainer P R Webber
- Jockey Jimmy McCarthy
tracked leader, led 5th, narrowly headed after 14th, weakening when blundered 2 out
- Form 1P16P-4
- Age 8
- Weight 11-6
- Official Rating 119
- Trainer H D Daly
- Jockey M Bradburne
close up, ridden 10th, soon lost place, jumped right 12th, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out
- Form 122322
- Age 5
- Weight 11-5
- Official Rating 118
- Trainer P F Nicholls
- Jockey Ruby Walsh
held up towards rear, steady headway to tracked leaders from 11th, led narrowly 4 out, not fluent and narrowly headed last, rider soon dropped whip, chased leader under pressure until not quicken towards finish
- Form 134/31-0
- Age 10
- Weight 11-4
- Official Rating 117
- Trainer N J Gifford
- Jockey P Hide
mid-division until blundered and unseated rider 9th
- Form 0/P22-P6
- Age 12
- Weight 11-3
- Official Rating 116
- Trainer Miss H C Knight
- Jockey S Stronge
chased leaders until weakened before 2 out
Ulusaba
21- Form 6-P0112
- Age 8
- Weight 10-13
- Official Rating 112
- Trainer Ferdy Murphy
- Jockey K Mercer
held up towards rear, steady headway from 13th, effort to chase leading pair when rider dropped whip soon after last, pushed along and ran on to lead final strides
- Form 2-P42R2
- Age 7
- Weight 10-10
- Official Rating 109
- Trainer R H Alner
- Jockey A Thornton
always behind, ridden and no impression from 4 out
Tommy Carson
47- Form P-12610
- Age 9
- Weight 10-9
- Official Rating 108
- Trainer Jamie Poulton
- Jockey C Bolger
in touch, outpaced and behind from 14th, no chance when mistake next
Con Tricks
364- Form 432/1F1-
- Age 11
- Weight 10-3
- Official Rating 102
- Trainer J W Mullins
- Jockey R Young
blundered 3rd, always behind, under pressure 9th, tailed off when pulled up before 13th
- Form 02152P
- Age 12
- Weight 10-1
- Official Rating 100
- Trainer J R Cornwall
- Jockey Mr M Nicolls
chased leaders until weakened after 14th
- Form 0-30630
- Age 9
- Weight 10-0
- Official Rating 98
- Trainer Mrs A M Thorpe
- Jockey S Durack
led to 5th, stayed chasing leader to 12th, weakened before 4 out, tailed off
- Form 31P-PU1
- Age 7
- Weight 10-12
- Official Rating 111
- Trainer T R George
- Jockey J P McNamara
Nonrunner
In depth
Verdict
This is a very open renewal of the Mandarin Chase and so the tentative selection is Christopher, with Lou du Moulin Mas and Ulusaba put forward as the main rivals. The Phillip Hobbs trained seven-year-old was successful over the two and a half mile trip at Aintree last month. He stayed on resolutely under a penalty to chase home You're Special at Cheltenham next and should be suited by the extra distance today. Lou du Moulin Mas will have no problems with the trip having finished a close second behind Lord Of Illusion over course and distance last time, and must be in the shake up again. Ulusaba travels down from the North in great form having won a couple of modest events before making Parsons Legacy pull out all the stops in a decent contest at Leicester. Meanwhile Sir Talbot ran a cracker on his seasonal debut and should be thereabouts, but Christopher has as good a chance as any and is the sporting choice.