Racecards
15:30 Newton Abbot
Beryl Heal Birthday Mares' Only Maiden Hurdle (Class E) (Class E)
- 16 Runners
- Distance: 2m 1f
- Going: Good, Good to Soft in places
- Form 5P
- Age 5
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer J Mullins
- Jockey A Thornton
held up mid-division, never nearer
Court Empress
393- Form 0-
- Age 7
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer P Purdy
- Jockey R Lucey-Butler
behind, stayed on from 3 out
- Form 000
- Age 6
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer J O'Shea
- Jockey Dave Crosse
behind when pulled up before 5th
Essex Bird
16- Form 60
- Age 5
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer Mrs S Williams
- Jockey R Walford
prominent to 4th, ridden 5th, soon weakened
- Form 00
- Age 6
- Weight 10-12
always towards rear
- Form 3
- Age 5
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer N J Henderson
- Jockey M A Fitzgerald
held up, headway to track leaders 4th, led approaching 2 out, soon clear, easily
- Form 4605
- Age 5
- Weight 10-12
mid-division, weakened approaching 3 out
- Age 5
- Weight 10-12
in touch until ridden and weakened approaching 3 out
- Form D422P-1
- Age 6
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer D R Gandolfo
- Jockey T Doyle
in touch, headway 3 out, soon one pace
- Age 4
- Weight 10-6
- Trainer C R Egerton
- Jockey A P McCoy
prominent, tracked leader from 4th until ridden and weakened 5th, pulled up before 2 out
- Form 22
- Age 4
- Weight 10-6
in touch, led 3rd, until ridden and headed after 6th, always held
In depth
Verdict
A modest race on the face of it and it could be down to Saturday specialist Nicky Henderson to wrestle the prize with Magic Mistress with Rustic Charm, Volcano Snow and Wasted Talent likely to take on the challenge for the forecast slot. Magic Mistress was a huge disappointment for odds-on backers at Taunton and her jumping seemed to be the principal concern. No doubt the master of Seven Barrows has taken her back to the drawing board and reschooled her since. Rated 81 on the flat, she will not get easier opportunities than this. Rustic Charm was actually a half-decent maiden for Clive Cox on the flat. This is a significant drop in sight from the heady aspiratrions held prior to a Sandown juvenile event. Wasted Talent ran a stormer in a hot Newbury event in March. She failed to build on that show when second in a lesser contest at Hereford and while her form is solid, the suspicion is that she is better with faster ground. Volcano Snow looked a little one paced at Newcastle when finishing second to Rocket Bleu at Newcastle. The form of that contest took a severe knock last weekend when the winner ran a shocker at Hexham. Magic Mistress is given another chance to break her maiden.