Racecards
15:30 Newton Abbot
Otter Handicap Hurdle (Class E)
- 13 Runners
- Distance: 2m 1f
- Going: Good, Good to Soft in places
- Form 4121/
- Age 7
- Weight 11-12
- Trainer N J Henderson
- Jockey M A Fitzgerald
held up in touch, headway after 3 out, soon ridden, 3rd and held when hampered and left 2nd last, lost 2nd close home
- Form 32-0413
- Age 6
- Weight 11-11
held up in touch, headway approaching 3 out, briefly led, soon ridden, weakened
- Form F66F06/
- Age 6
- Weight 11-6
- Trainer P F Nicholls
- Jockey Ruby Walsh
chased leaders, ridden after 3 out, weakened
Ososhot
241- Form 0F2003-
- Age 10
- Weight 11-6
- Trainer A J Wilson
- Jockey M Batchelor
held up behind, ridden and headway after 3 out, stayed on, took 2nd close home, no chance with winner
- Form 114600-
- Age 7
- Weight 11-2
held up, headway approaching 5th, weakened quickly after 3 out, pulled up before next
The Gene Genie
325- Form 3P/5532-
- Age 8
- Weight 11-2
chased leaders, ridden and weakened after 3 out
- Form 045/4P4-
- Age 10
- Weight 11-2
- Trainer Dr P Pritchard
- Jockey J Mogford
led until 3rd, mistake next, soon behind, pulled up before 5th
- Form 6-P0333
- Age 5
- Weight 11-2
- Trainer Nick Williams
- Jockey J Culloty
always going well, tracking leaders, led approaching last, left clear, easily
- Form 054F42
- Age 10
- Weight 10-5
- Trainer J Mullins
- Jockey Rachael Green
in touch, headway approaching 5th, led 6th, soon headed, weakened quickly
- Form 3414-40
- Age 4
- Weight 10-4
- Trainer G Balding
- Jockey M Bradburne
chased leaders until weakened approaching 3 out
Saby (FR)
189- Form 36002-F
- Age 5
- Weight 10-3
- Trainer P Hobbs & J White
- Jockey R Johnson
held up, ridden approaching 3 out, steady headway approaching next, kept on same pace
- Form 044-4P
- Age 4
- Weight 10-0
- Trainer B R Millman
- Jockey C Llewellyn
held up rear, smooth headway to lead after 3 out, ridden and headed when fell last
In depth
Verdict
A hard one to call, but Welcome To Unos is preferred to Celtic Star, with Saby and Be My Friend others worth a mention. Welcome To Unos normally finds one too good but made light of an absence when scoring under the champion at Stratford in October. He failed to follow up at Kempton but that was a conditional jockeys event, and A P is back in the saddle here. Formerly with Mary Reveley, the move to Martin Pipe should bring about a few more wins in this sphere. Celtic Star looked a hard ride when McCoy rode him at Fontwell, and so we wish Jim Culloty the best of luck. Saby nearly won over fences here in April but then fell on his next start at Hereford in May. Lightly weighted, he can prove dangerous if fit. lambe de La See has a long, long absence to overcome, but Nicky Henderson makes a habit of tuning such individuals up, and any money in the ring should be noted for the French-bred. Be My Friend came a cropper on his chase debut at Huntingdon recently, but is well thought of by connections, and will no doubt go back over the bigger obstacles soon. For the winner, we return to Welcome To Unos.