Racecards
15:40 Plumpton
Sky Bet Press Red To Bet Now Handicap Chase (Class F )
- 13 Runners
- Distance: 3m 2f
- Going: Soft, Heavy in places
- Form 21/0-535
- Age 9
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 88
- Trainer Mrs A M Thorpe
- Jockey D Laverty
behind, some headway 6th, blundered 10th, mistake and weakened after next, tailed off when unseated rider 3 out
- Form 2-56345
- Age 7
- Weight 11-5
- Official Rating 81
- Trainer R H Alner
- Jockey A Thornton
in touch, good headway to chase leading pair before 3 out, weakened before next
- Form U23-443
- Age 9
- Weight 11-3
- Official Rating 79
- Trainer O Sherwood
- Jockey M Bradburne
tracked leaders, not fluent 6th, chased winner 11th, close up after 3 out, stayed on same pace, under pressure from next
- Form 34F426
- Age 8
- Weight 11-2
- Official Rating 78
- Trainer G & J Moore
- Jockey P Hide
close up, weakened quickly before 7th, tailed off when pulled up before 11th
- Form P31242
- Age 10
- Weight 10-13
- Official Rating 75
- Trainer N R Mitchell
- Jockey Mr R Stephens
led to 3rd, stayed close up, weakened before 4 out, tailed off when pulled up before 2 out
- Form 66-P24P
- Age 10
- Weight 10-11
- Official Rating 73
- Trainer Mrs S Wall
- Jockey A Honeyball
soon well behind, blundered 7th, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out
- Form UPP-P53
- Age 8
- Weight 10-10
- Official Rating 72
- Trainer John R Upson
- Jockey M Nicolls
held up, blundered 3rd, headway and in touch from 10th, weakened before 4 out
- Form P/1-P056
- Age 7
- Weight 10-10
- Official Rating 72
- Trainer R H Buckler
- Jockey B Hitchcott
prominent, led 3rd to 5th, mistake 8th, lost touch 11th, refused 3 out
- Form 6342-P5
- Age 12
- Weight 10-9
- Official Rating 71
- Trainer Dr P Pritchard
- Jockey J Mogford
mistake 2nd, always behind, struggling 5th, tailed off and pulled up before 11th
- Form 0-2F344
- Age 7
- Weight 10-7
- Official Rating 69
with leaders, made most from after 5th, driven after 3 out, stayed on grimly
- Form 0-P260P
- Age 7
- Weight 10-2
- Official Rating 64
- Trainer Miss A M Newton-Smith
- Jockey M Batchelor
always behind, driven 6th, mistake next, tailed off when blundered 11th
St Kilda
12- Form 4-5433P
- Age 8
- Weight 10-0
- Official Rating 62
- Trainer Mrs H M Bridges
- Jockey Miss Lucy Bridges
always behind, tailed when fell 3 out
- Form 24/4P5-P
- Age 14
- Weight 10-0
- Official Rating 60
- Trainer C J Drewe
- Jockey James Davies
in touch to 5th, tailed off when pulled after 11th
Cyanara
12- Form 30-140U
- Age 9
- Weight 10-0
- Official Rating 61
- Trainer Dr P Pritchard
- Jockey O Dayman
Nonrunner
In depth
Verdict
This is probably the most difficult race on the card to assess and we will make Secret Drinker our sporting selection, Dun Locha Castle and Apple Joe are two others well worth checking out. Oliver Sherwood's nine-year-old is not the easiest to win with but does have decent form here and did put up an improved performance last time. After attracting support in the ring, he ran on well to finish third to Toulouse-Lautrec, the drop in trip today shouldn't be a problem and he should at least reach the frame. Apple Joe finished just over two lengths in front of the selection on that occasion, with Dun Locha Castle well beaten in fourth. There is little change in the weights today, but Secret Drinker may come out on top over this shorter trip. Dun Locha Castle though has won over this distance this season so should get a lot closer this time. As we said at the start a very tricky contest, with Up The Pub and Alfred The Grey two others to note, however Secret Drinker deserves to win a race of this nature and just edges the decision.