Racecards
15:10 Plumpton
Hepworth Blonde Handicap Chase (Class 5)
- 7 Runners
- Distance: 3m 2f
- Going: Soft, Good to Soft in places
- Surface: Turf
- £2,800 added
- Winner: £1,819
- 2nd: £534
- 3rd: £267
- 4th: £134
- Form 13B/P-R2
- Age 10
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 99
chased leaders, ridden to challenge 3 out, every chance last, no extra flat
- Form 4/1P62P-
- Age 7
- Weight 11-11
- Official Rating 98
- Trainer J A Geake
- Jockey A Thornton
held up in rear, hard ridden 10th, soon struggling, pulled up 4 out
- Form 46324-P
- Age 10
- Weight 11-11
- Official Rating 98
- Trainer C J Mann
- Jockey N D Fehily
mid-division, headway before 4 out, not fluent next, soon weakened, moderate 4th
- Form 163434-
- Age 9
- Weight 11-3
- Official Rating 90
- Trainer Miss A M Newton-Smith
- Jockey Felix de Giles
held up in rear, ridden 5 out, soon beaten, moderate 5th
Miss Fleur
247- Form 362UP7-
- Age 8
- Weight 11-1
- Official Rating 88
- Trainer Nick Mitchell
- Jockey Nick Scholfield
tracked leader, effort 3 out, kept on under pressure
- Form P524-P4
- Age 7
- Weight 10-11
- Official Rating 84
- Trainer Miss A M Newton-Smith
- Jockey R Mahon
chased leaders, jumped slowly 7th, mistake 10th, soon lost place
- Form 8/4P23P-
- Age 11
- Weight 10-0
- Official Rating 55
- Trainer N J Hawke
- Jockey Sam Twiston-Davies
made all, riders iron broke 5 out, hard driven 3 out, challenged before last, stayed on well
In depth
Verdict
With the new whip rules in place, Sam Twiston-Davies may struggle to maintain the interest of the enigmatic Zimbabwe while Rebel Melody can also be a hard ride, though is better than he showed on his reappearance at Ffos Las. Its a Classic, Portrait Royale and Quartz Du Montceau are all previous C&D winners while Miss Fleur races off the same mark as when second at the track in January when Zimbabwe and Quartz Du Montceau were well behind. But the vote goes to BEWARE CHALK PIT, who can be a little erratic but has the ability to win a race of this nature off his current rating though this isn't a race on which to invest the mortgage payment.
Formwatch
Its A Classic 8-1 (11-11) Tracked leaders in 3rd, went 2nd after 9th, outpaced before 2 out, kept on to chase winner after last, no impression, 2nd of 6, 9l behind Always Bold (11-12) at Fontwell 3m 3f hcp hdl 0-95 (5) sft in Nov.
Beware Chalk Pit (IRE) 10-3 (10-7) Held up in last pair, closer order 6th, ridden in 4th before 4 out, soon struggling, no chance when pulled up before last, in a race won by Rapid Increase (11-12) at Fontwell 3m 2f hcp chs 0-115 (4) gs in Mar, 6 ran.
Rebel Melody (IRE) 4-1 (10-13) Sometimes jumped left, mid-division, headway approaching 3rd, ridden and lost place 12th, blundered badly 14th, soon weakened, pulled up before 2 out, in a race won by Victory Gunner (11-4) at Ffos Las 3m hcp chs 0-115 (4) sft in Nov, 10 ran.
Portrait Royale (IRE) 8-1 (11-5) Chased leaders, went 2nd and ridden 10th, lost 2nd 12th, ridden in well held 4th approaching 5 out, went right next, soon beaten, tailed off, 4th of 15, 41l behind Ilewin Tom (10-10) at Chepstow 3m hcp chs 0-95 (5) gd in Apr.
Miss Fleur 16-1 (10-13) Raced in rear, headway 12th, chased leaders next, pushed along 5 out, soon weakened, 7th of 14, 29l behind Our Columbus (11-6) at Chepstow 3m hcp chs 0-95 (5) gs in Apr.
Quartz Du Montceau (FR) 10-1 (11-4) Led to 8th, tracked leader, hit 10th, outpaced next, pushed along before 3 out, plugged on and no impression, 4th of 8, 16l behind High Oscar (11-5) at Fontwell 2m 6f cnd hcp chs (0-95) (5) sft in Nov.
Zimbabwe (FR) 12-1 (10-0) Led 2nd, headed 7th, led 11th, ridden and headed when not fluent 12th, weakened approaching 15th, pulled up after 5 out, in a race won by Ethiopia (11-3) at Chepstow 3m 2f hcp chs 0-95 (5) gd in Apr, 8 ran.