Racecards
13:45 Newton Abbot
St Austell Brewery Handicap Hurdle (Class 3)
- 3 Runners
- Distance: 2m 167y
- Going: Good to Soft (Soft in places)
- Surface: Turf
- £10,500 added
- Winner: £4,956
- 2nd: £2,283
- 3rd: £1,141
- 4th: £571
- Form 35/P13P-
- Age 7
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 121
- Trainer Mrs J Williams
- Jockey Chester Williams
led and set steady pace, quickened tempo after 3 out, mistake and headed 2 out, soon weakened into 3rd
- Form 21325-0
- Age 6
- Weight 11-11
- Official Rating 120
- Trainer P F Nicholls
- Jockey H Cobden
raced keenly, tracked leader, pushed along after 3 out, soon ridden, closed to lead 2 out, soon clear
- Form 5-31
- Age 4
- Weight 11-0
- Official Rating 114
- Trainer F O'Brien
- Jockey P J Brennan
held up in 3rd, pushed along after 3 out, went 2nd after next, stayed on same pace, no chance with winner
- Form 343F-24
- Age 9
- Weight 11-8
- Official Rating 117
- Trainer N P Mulholland
- Jockey Non Runner
NonRunner
- Form P7/113-1
- Age 8
- Weight 11-3
- Official Rating 112
- Trainer Alexandra Dunn
- Jockey Fergus Gillard
NonRunner
In depth
Verdict
The four-year-old Byzantine Empire got off the mark in a novices' contest at Southwell and makes his handicap debut from what looks a reasonable mark. THAHAB IFRAJ (NAP) was in excellent form at the backend of last year winning two from three and returned with a convincing success at this level at Market Rasen and gets the nod to overcome a 6lb rise. Green Or Black is on a long losing run but has won around here while another course winner, Celestial Force, takes a big drop in class having run in a Haydock Grade 3 handicap last time. Esprit De Somoza has run on the Flat, over fences and in bumpers since last over hurdles well over two years ago.
Formwatch
Esprit De Somoza (FR) 40-1 (9-12) Dwelt raced wide, in touch, headway over 3f out, soon tracked leaders, ridden and weakened final furlong, 6th of 12, 16 1/2l behind Military Mission (8-11) at Salisbury 1m 2f stks (5) sft in May.
Celestial Force (IRE) 16-1 (10-1) Chased leaders, lost place before 2 out, 12th of 14, dist behind Copperless (10-4) at Haydock 2m hcp (1) sft in May.
Byzantine Empire 3-1 (10-7) Prominent in third, progress into second before 2 out, jumped to front 2 out, jumped well last, comfortably, won at Southwell 2m (4) gs in May beating Gregor (10-13) by 3 1/2l, 5 ran.
Green Or Black (IRE) 9-4 (11-12) Chased winner, mistake 4th, led 3 out, soon headed, led again before 2 out, driven and headed last, weakened flat, last of 4, 4 3/4l behind Kilmington Rose (11-1) at Warwick 2m hcp (4) gs in May.
Thahab Ifraj (IRE) 12-1 (10-9) Prominent, challenged last, drifted left, led flat, stayed on, ridden out, won at Market Rasen 2m 3f hcp (3) gd in Jun beating Mercian Prince (11-11) by 2 1/4l, 8 ran.