Racecards
17:30 Newton Abbot
South West Racing Club Novices' Handicap Hurdle (Class 5)
- 6 Runners
- Distance: 2m 6f
- Going: Heavy
- Surface: Turf
- £3,000 added
- Winner: £2,055
- 2nd: £599
- 3rd: £300
- 4th: £262
Royial (FR)
15- Form 0000F-4
- Age 5
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 93
- Trainer J W Mullins
- Jockey Jimmy Derham
held up in rear, mistake 5th, went 3rd well before 3 out, soon weakened, tailed off
- Form 53-7001
- Age 4
- Weight 11-8
- Official Rating 83
- Trainer Mrs D Thomas
- Jockey R Johnson
led or close 2nd throughout, stumbled well before 3rd, not fluent 5th, drew clear approaching 2 out, easily
- Form P40P7/P-
- Age 7
- Weight 11-6
- Official Rating 87
- Trainer M Scudamore
- Jockey T Scudamore
tracked leaders, weakened well before 3 out, tailed off when pulled up before last
- Form 5/335P5-
- Age 8
- Weight 11-4
- Official Rating 85
- Trainer Miss C Dyson
- Jockey L Treadwell
in rear, not fluent 4th, ridden after 5th, soon weakened, tailed off when pulled up before 2 out
- Form 12-63P6
- Age 7
- Weight 10-11
- Official Rating 78
- Trainer N P Mulholland
- Jockey D C Costello
led or close 2nd, hit 2nd, hung left and no chance with winner approaching 2 out
Hollandia (IRE)
562- Form 41PF21/
- Age 9
- Weight 10-2
- Official Rating 69
- Trainer Mrs K M Sanderson
- Jockey Giles Hawkins
not fluent 1st, held up in 4th, weakened after 5th, soon pulled up
Kavegirl
1- Form 3/2444U
- Age 7
- Weight 11-11
- Official Rating 92
- Trainer J F Panvert
- Jockey David England
Nonrunner
In depth
Verdict
A step up in trip and change of tactics to front running brought about a much improved performance by AM I BLUE when landing a hefty gamble at Hereford last week and Richard Johnson's mount can follow up that victory under a 7lb penalty. Jonjo O'Neill's Honourable Dreamer has been well held in recent starts but may do better now in a handicap, while Kavegirl looks a shade high in the weights. The ex-Irish Royial faces no easy task giving weight away all round for Seamus Mullins and of more interest may be Three Boars, who has his first outing over hurdles since April of last year but is fit from the flat. There will be a lot of attention on Am I Blue following his win last week though and he can score again.
Formwatch
Royial (FR) 33-1 (10-11) Held up in rear, headway approaching 2 out, not clear run and switched right before last, stayed on same pace, 4th of 11, 12l behind Swiss Art (10-10) at Newton Abbot 2m 1f 4yo mdn stks (5) sft in Aug.
Am I Blue 5-1 (10-13) Made virtually all, drew clear from 2 out, unchallenged, won at Hereford 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-95 (5) gd beating Northern Lad (11-12) by 19l, 15 ran.
Roughing It (IRE) 7-1 (10-12) Held up, pecked and reminders 4th, headway after 7th, not fluent 9th, weakened after 4 out, clambered over 3 out, pulled up 2 out, in a race won by Brushford (10-5) at Fontwell 2m 2f hcp chs 0-95 (5) sft in Jan, 8 ran.
Three Boars 12-1 (11-2) Tracked leaders, lost place 4th, tailed off 3 out, 5th of 8, 30l behind Calzaghe (11-8) at Market Rasen 2m 1f hcp hld 0-95 (5) sft in Nov.
You Can of Course (IRE) 11-2 (11-0) Led until after 2nd, pushed along and weakened from 10th, tailed off, 6th of 8, well behind Mischief Man (11-1) at Cartmel 2m 5f hcp 0-90 (5) gd in Aug.
Hollandia (IRE) 6-4 (12-0) Held up; went 2nd 4 out; led app last; rdn out, won at Ideford Arch 3m ptp in Feb '09 beating King's Wood (12-0) by 2 1/2l, 5 ran.
Kavegirl 25-1 (10-5) Chased leaders, pushed along after 5th, not fluent next, 3rd and weakening when mistake 2 out, 4th of 12, 24l behind A Nun With A Gun (10-5) at Newton Abbot 2m 3f nh nov hdl (4) sft in Aug.
Honourable Dreamer (IRE) 33-1 (11-1) Prominent until not fluent 3rd, not fluent and dropped to rear 5th, weakened approaching 3 out, tailed off, 8th of 9, well behind Pendower (11-1) at Newbury 2m 5f mdn hdl (3) sft in Mar.