Racecards
14:50 Newton Abbot
Happy 88th Birthday Les Bickham Handicap Chase (Class 4)
- 12 Runners
- Distance: 2m 5f 110y
- Going: Good, Good to Firm in places
- Surface: Turf
- £6,500 added
- Form 1F44-5U
- Age 8
- Weight 11-10
- Official Rating 109
- Trainer J R Payne
- Jockey L Treadwell
held up behind, headway approaching 11th, led after 3 out, drew clear after next, comfortably
- Form 135492
- Age 8
- Weight 11-9
- Official Rating 108
- Trainer B J Llewellyn
- Jockey Christian Williams
mid-division, headway 9th, outpaced after 4 out, stayed on again from 2 out
- Form 112554
- Age 8
- Weight 11-8
- Official Rating 107
- Trainer R H & Mrs S Alner
- Jockey D A Jacob
mid-division, ridden after 12th, weakened after 4 out
- Form 0-6F588
- Age 5
- Weight 11-5
- Official Rating 104
- Trainer D Pipe
- Jockey T Scudamore
led, ridden and headed 4 out, weakened after 3 out
- Form 13P423
- Age 7
- Weight 11-4
- Official Rating 103
- Trainer C L Tizzard
- Jockey J Tizzard
always towards rear, tailed off from 11th
- Form 635524
- Age 8
- Weight 11-4
- Official Rating 103
- Trainer Nick Williams
- Jockey Mr N Scholfield
in touch, struggling 5th, soon behind, tailed off when pulled up
- Form 00000P
- Age 7
- Weight 11-1
- Official Rating 100
- Trainer Mrs S Leech
- Jockey Paul Moloney
always in rear, blundered badly 10th, behind when pulled up
Whatcanisay
40- Form 1-15244
- Age 9
- Weight 10-13
- Official Rating 98
held up, behind when lost action and pulled up after 2nd pulled up
- Form 41111U
- Age 10
- Weight 10-13
- Official Rating 98
- Trainer Mrs A M Thorpe
- Jockey C Poste
chased leaders, led 4 out, ridden and headed after 3 out, mistake 2 out, weakened last
- Form 443371
- Age 8
- Weight 10-12
- Official Rating 97
- Trainer R J Hodges
- Jockey P J Brennan
held up towards rear, ridden and headway after 10th, weakened after 4 out
- Form P-P141P
- Age 7
- Weight 10-10
- Official Rating 95
- Trainer B G Powell
- Jockey A P McCoy
prominent until 8th, soon behind, tailed off when pulled up
- Form PPP0-64
- Age 11
- Weight 10-0
- Official Rating 82
- Trainer Miss L Blackford
- Jockey James Davies
chased leaders, ridden approaching 11th, soon weakened, tailed off when pulled up
In depth
Verdict
Big Al should be backed to resume winning ways now that his yard has hit form. Dangers include, Cleymor House, Mighty Moose and Massini Sunset. The selection has twice disappointed on his last four starts but he has won the other two and has valid excuses for the defeats. Fast ground and this trip brings out the best in him, he's relatively unexposed and has a decent pilot in the plate. Cleymor House has been really busy of late but his improvement has shown no signs of abating and, whilst there must be a risk that the handicapper will collar him soon, he just has to be on the short-list. Massini Sunset and Wizard Of Edge rate a mention but it's also well worth having a second look at Mighty Moose. He's been a shade disappointing of late, including in a tongue tie last time, but he isn't too badly treated on his old form and has won twice on good ground. He has a bit to prove now though and Big Al is readily preferred.
Formwatch
Down The Stretch 9-2 (10-3) Mid-division, effort when mistake and unseated rider at the 9th in race won by Bible Lord (11-9) at Exeter 2m 3f hcp chs 0-135 (3) gs in Feb, 8 ran.
Master d'Or (FR) 12-1 (11-2) Tracked leaders and keen, went 2nd after 3 out, soon ridden, every chance when mistake last, not recover, 2nd of 9, 2l behind The Wooden Spoon (11-5) at N Abbot 2m 6f hcp hdl 0-115 (4) gs in Mar.
Magot de Grugy (FR) 7-1 (11-7) In touch, reminder after 3rd, ridden after 11th, one pace from 3 out, 4th of 9, 15l behind Cleymor House (9-11) at Fontwell 2m 4f hcp chs 0-115 (4) gs in Mar.
Amir El Jabal (FR) 16-1 (11-12) Prominent, ridden, weakening when mistake last, 8th of 12, 21l behind Wenger (10-8) at Stratford 2m 4f hcp chs 0-110 (4) gd in Mar.
Wotashambles (IRE) 13-2 (11-0) Chased leader, mistake 3rd, ridden, lost place 3th, stayed on to go poor 3rd from last, 3rd of 4, 36l behind Island Flyer (11-0) at Wincanton 2m 5f nov chs (4) gs in Mar.
Mighty Moose (IRE) 3-1 (11-8) Tracked leaders, ridden approaching 3 out, weakened 2 out, 4th of 6, 11l behind Wizard of Edge (10-2) at Wincanton 2m 5f hcp chs 0-115 (4) sft in Mar.
Alberti (IRE) 66-1 (10-11) Tracked leaders, led 7th, headed and weakened 9th, behind when pulled up 2 out in race won by Mister Pink (10-11) at Kempton 3m nov hcp hdl 0-125 (3) sft in Mar, 13 ran.
Whatcanisay 9-2 (11-0) Led until 3rd, chased leaders, struggling 10th, kept on same pace from 4 out, 4th of 8, 15l behind Le Burf (11-0) at Exeter 2m 3f nov chs (4) gs in Mar.
Cleymor House (IRE) 9-2 (10-11) Chasing leaders when badly hampered and unseated rider in race won by Count Kristo (11-1) at Fontwell 2m 2f hcp chs 0-110 (4) gd, 11 ran.
Wizard of Edge 5-2fav (10-2) Tracked leaders, lost place after 4th, ridden after 11th, stayed on from 2 out, led flat, all out, won at Wincanton 2m 5f hcp chs 0-115 (4) sft in Mar beating Massini Sunset (10-5) by a hd, 6 ran.
Big Al (IRE) 13-2 (11-10) Prominent, lost place 6th and pulled up at the 8th in race won by Elsie's Pride (11-3) at Towcester 2m 3f hcp chs 0-100 (4) sft in Dec, 11 ran.
River Dante (IRE) 25-1 (11-8) Prominent, lost 2nd after 4 out, weakened between last 2, 4th of 13, 11l behind Deep King (11-3) at Stratford 2m 1f hts chs (5) gd in May.
Alphabetical (IRE) 5-2 (11-6) Led, ridden and headed 2 out, soon weakened, 4th of 5, 31l behind Romany Dream (10-5) at Fakenham 2m 5f hcp chs 0-125 (3) gd in Mar.
Massini Sunset (IRE) 7-2 (10-5) Close up, stayed on from 2 out, led briefly flat, kept on, 2nd of 6, hd behind Wizard of Edge (10-2) at Wincanton 2m 5f hcp chs 0-115 (4) sft in Mar.