Racecards
14:50 Newcastle
Guinness St Patrick's Day Handicap Chase (Class D)
- 11 Runners
- Distance: 3m
- Going: Good to Soft, Soft in places
- Form F/3131-3
- Age 9
- Weight 11-12
- Trainer M & D Easterby
- Jockey R McGrath
held up in mid-division, headway and in touch halfway, ridden and weakened quickly 14th
Gottabe
42- Form 211345
- Age 10
- Weight 11-11
- Trainer J Parkinson & S Smith
- Jockey D Elsworth
held up in touch, fell 5th
- Form 31P05P
- Age 13
- Weight 11-8
held up towards rear, headway to chase leaders halfway, pushed along 13th, effort 4 out, no extra from 2 out
- Form 0P23P4
- Age 14
- Weight 11-7
- Trainer Mrs M Reveley
- Jockey D N Russell
led 2nd, ridden and headed 5 out, weakened 3 out
Keiran (IRE)
14- Form 1213P4
- Age 9
- Weight 11-6
held up, hampered and dropped rear 5th, headway halfway, led 5 out, stayed in strongly from 3 out
Impertio
10- Form 440332
- Age 9
- Weight 11-1
- Trainer P Beaumont
- Jockey R Garritty
held up in rear, headway 14th to chase leaders, ridden to chase winner 4 out, no extra flat
- Form 6-P4135
- Age 11
- Weight 10-2
- Trainer John R Upson
- Jockey J R Kavanagh
held up in rear, hampered 5th, headway and in touch 13th, ridden 5 out, weakened next
- Form 22F2F2
- Age 8
- Weight 10-2
chased leaders, pushed along and mistake 11th, ridden and outpaced 6 out, stayed one paced from 3 out
- Form 363142
- Age 8
- Weight 10-2
- Trainer J S Goldie
- Jockey C McCormack
toweards rear, pushed along 14th, outpaced 6 out, headway under pressure after 4 out, stayed on well to chase winner flat
- Form 3531P5
- Age 9
- Weight 10-1
led to 2nd, remained prominent, ridden and lost place 14th, weakening when blundered badly 5 out
- Form 5P34-3F
- Age 12
- Weight 10-0
- Trainer Miss Kate Milligan
- Jockey Jim Crowley
mid-division, pushed along and dropped rear 9th, tailed off when pulled up before 12th
In depth
Verdict
Belisario's third to Nosam on February 26 after an absence was a very good effort and, on a winning mark, has to be given every chance here. Gottabe won three from four between May and November from a best mark of 108 (now 114). Twenty-time winner Weaver George is now 13 and, admirable that he is, is worth opposing overall. Random Harvest is a year older and he was well ahead of Weaver George when they met at Doncaster in December. The handicapper is starting to relent with Mary Reveley's gelding but Belisario might have a touch more scope these days. Keiran beat Joe di Capo (who is now 13lbs better off) by 16 lengths over this course and distance back in November, and it would be no surprise to see them both run well again. Impertio is two pounds higher than for his latest win but, overall, is difficult to win with. Reflex Courier is on a mark that should make him competitive, while Kung Hei Fat Choy is no better than reasonably handicapped. Four-time course and distance winner, Red Emperor, is two pounds higher than for his latest win but should be sharper for his latest run. Now 12, Sleepy River's latest win was over this course and distance, but that was in November 2001, and he has been absent for 303 days. Because he caught the eye with his Wetherby run, and given that he is certainly on a winning mark, the selection is Belisario.