Racecards
15:20 Newcastle
Russell Smith & Gordon Millar Memorial Handicap Chase (Class 4)
- 10 Runners
- Distance: 2m 110y
- Going: Good, Good to Firm in places
- Surface: Turf
- £6,000 added
- Form 413763
- Age 12
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 102
raced keenly in touch, headway 8th, outpaced 4 out, soon weakened
Divex (IRE)
13- Form 445124
- Age 7
- Weight 11-11
- Official Rating 101
- Trainer Micky Hammond
- Jockey F Keniry
mid-division, lost place 6th, hedaway 9th, outpaced 4 out, soon weakened
- Form U2221P
- Age 6
- Weight 11-10
- Official Rating 100
- Trainer T D Walford
- Jockey R Walford
in touch, chased winner 8th, ridden 4 out, 5 lengths down and disputing 2nd when fell next
- Form 6741-P8
- Age 9
- Weight 11-9
- Official Rating 99
- Trainer F P Murtagh
- Jockey A Dobbin
always behind, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out
- Form 4482P1
- Age 6
- Weight 11-6
- Official Rating 96
- Trainer J Parkinson & S Smith
- Jockey K Mercer
always prominent, left chasing winner 5th to 8th, ridden 4 out, left clear 2nd next, soon ridden and kept on same pace
- Form 666554
- Age 9
- Weight 10-13
- Official Rating 89
- Trainer Ferdy Murphy
- Jockey M O'connell
mid-dvision, headway 9th, chased leaders 4 out, left 3rd and hampered next, no impression first 2
- Form 8-43143
- Age 7
- Weight 10-12
- Official Rating 88
- Trainer H P Hogarth
- Jockey K Renwick
tracked leader, led 3rd, made rest, clear 2 out, ridden and kept on flat
Fencote Gold
57- Form 9/7-F41P
- Age 8
- Weight 10-7
- Official Rating 83
- Trainer P Beaumont
- Jockey James Reveley
led to 3rd, chased winner until blundered and unseated rider 5th
- Form 473575
- Age 5
- Weight 10-5
- Official Rating 81
- Trainer R C Guest
- Jockey B S Hughes
tracked leader, lost place 5th, soon behind
- Form P46P2P
- Age 9
- Weight 10-0
- Official Rating 68
- Trainer Joss Saville
- Jockey Paul Benson
behind, reminded after 3rd, headway and in touch 5th, outpaced 5 out, soon ridden and beaten
In depth
Verdict
Blast The Past, Divex and Stagecoach Amber are all on the shortlist and we are with the last named. Sue Smith's charge won an ordinary prize in good style at Catterick and off a helpful enough mark, there could be some room for improvement yet. Blast The Past never travelled on her most recent visit to this track. She is prone to making the odd jumping error and it is to be hoped that she can show her true ability again. Divex has often been fancied for prizes of this nature without delivering. He handles the surface adequately enough. Barton Sun looks to have lost his way of late although he should still be noted in the market. Stormy Beech appears to put in his best work at Catterick and Sedgefield. The term "enigma" encapsulates Fencote Gold completely. A competitive little race and Stagecoach Amber could be up to winning this if able to demonstrate nominal improvement.
Formwatch
Stormy Beech 14-1 (11-4) Led, ridden and headed approaching last, one pace flat, 3rd of 6, 11l behind Le Roi Rouge (11-11) at Sedgefield 2m hcp chs 0-115 (4) hvy in Feb.
Divex (IRE) 13-2 (11-1) Led to 3rd, tracked leader, led again 8th, clear 4 out, joined 2 out, soon headed, weakened last, 4th of 8, 13l behind Hold The Bid (11-2) at Market Rasen 2m 6f nov hcp chs (3) gs.
Blast The Past 10-3 (11-12) Held up in touch, mistake 1st, weakened 4 out, tailed off when pulled up 3 out in race won by Tom's Toybox (11-5) at Newcastle 2m nov hcp chs 0-105 (4) gs in Jan, 6 ran.
Ton-Chee 16-1 (11-5) Chased leaders, outpaced when not fluent 7th, soon beaten, 8th of 9, well behind Whatcanyasay (9-9) at Sedgefield 2m hcp chs 0-105 (4) gd in Dec.
Stagecoach Amber (USA) 8-1 (11-0) Chased leaders, went 2nd approaching 5th, led 7th, driven out, won at Catterick 2m mdn chs (4) gf beating Turbo Shandy (10-7) by 1 1/2l, 10 ran.
Barton Sun (IRE) 14-1 (10-7) In touch, ridden after 4 out, weakened from 3 out, 4th of 10, 15l behind Spiritual Society (11-1) at Southwell 2m cnd hcp chs 0-105 (4) gf in Feb.
Northern Quest (IRE) 4-1 (11-7) Held up in touch, headway 4 out, chased leaders 2 out, kept on one pace, 3rd of 13, 10l behind Minella Lodge (10-8) at Leicester 2m 4f nov hcp chs 0-90 (5) gs in Feb.
Fencote Gold 13-2 (10-13) With leader, pushed along 8th, soon lost place, well behind when pulled up 3 out in race won by Loch Oscaig (11-2) at Catterick 2m nov hcp chs 0-105 (4) sft in Jan, 9 ran.
Mycenean Prince (USA) 16-1 (10-7) Tracked leading pair until 5th, ridden next, weakened before 3 out, 5th of 9, 23l behind Kirby's Vic (9-11) at Leicester 2m nov hcp chs 0-105 (4) gd.
Red Dawn (IRE) 11-1 (10-0) Led from 5th 6th, weakened from 8th, tailed off when pulled up at the last in race won by Something Silver (11-6) at Ayr 2m nov hcp chs 0-100 (4) sft in Feb, 10 ran.