Racecards
17:10 Newton Abbot
Halfway House, Willand Handicap Chase (Class 5)
- 5 Runners
- Distance: 2m 5f 110y
- Going: Good to Firm, Good in places
- Surface: Turf
- £2,834 added
- Winner: £1,940
- 2nd: £565
- 3rd: £283
- Form 841328
- Age 7
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 94
- Trainer R G Hawker
- Jockey A P McCoy
held up in touch, not fluent 2nd, not that fluent at some fences after, progress to go 2nd approaching 11th, led 3 out, in command from 2 out, driven out
- Form F2-P24P
- Age 7
- Weight 11-3
- Official Rating 85
- Trainer T Dennis
- Jockey T J O'Brien
tracked leader until after 6th, not fluent 8th, went 2nd again before 10th until approaching 11th, outpaced from 12th, went 3rd flat, no impression
- Form 235342
- Age 6
- Weight 11-1
- Official Rating 83
- Trainer N P Mulholland
- Jockey A Thornton
led until 3 out, looked awkward from next, stayed on flat
- Form 0/70-96
- Age 7
- Weight 10-2
- Official Rating 70
- Trainer G A Ham
- Jockey W T Kennedy
last, hit 1st, not fluent 9th, behind 11th, pulled up before 3 out
- Form 8-34235
- Age 6
- Weight 10-1
- Official Rating 69
- Trainer J D Frost
- Jockey Hadden Frost
tracked leaders, jumped right 1st, went 2nd after 6th until approaching 10th, outpaced from 4 out, jumped right 2 out, lost 3rd flat
Previous results
In depth
Verdict
Wait No More found only Merry Terry too good when trying to make all over 3m3f here last month but Neil Mulholland's charge has become expensive to follow and may not be suited by this drop in distance. Bernie The Banker and Haydens Mount both started favourite for their latest outings but the former was pulled up here while the latter could only finish fifth at Worcester and may have trouble lasting home over this trip. BENEFIT GAME is still 6lb higher than when successful over C&D in July but has been performing badly since and, with AP McCoy back in the saddle for the first time since October, can recapture the winning thread.
Formwatch
Benefit Game (IRE) 10-1 (11-5) Held up in touch, headway before 2 out, soon weakened, 8th of 18, 20l behind Surfboard (11-6) at Newton Abbot 2m 6f hcp hdl 0-90 (5) gf in Aug.
Bernie The Banker 3-1fav (9-13) Held up towards rear and keen, weakened from 14th, tailed off, pulled up after 3 out, in a race won by Ethiopia (11-5) at Newton Abbot 3m 2f hcp chs 0-110 (4) gf in Jul, 7 ran.
Wait No More (IRE) 15-8fav (11-3) With leader, led 7th, headed 3 out, weakened next, 2nd of 5, 12l behind Merry Terry (11-12) at Newton Abbot 3m 2f nov hcp chs 0-95 (5) gs in Aug.
Fluters House 25-1 (11-2) Mid-division on outside, outpaced 4 out, weakened next, 6th of 13, 33l behind Ton-Chee (11-5) at Worcester 2m sell hcp hdl 0-85 (5) gd in Aug.
Haydens Mount 7-2fav (10-6) Mid-division, pushed along after 3rd, headway 6th, hit 8th, ridden 9th, no extra towards finish, 5th of 11, 4 1/2l behind Crack At Dawn (11-1) at Worcester 2m hcp 0-90 (5) gd in Jul.