Racecards
14:50 Sedgefield
Alpha 1032 Novices' Hurdle (Class E)
- 15 Runners
- Distance: 2m 5f 110y
- Going: Heavy
- Form 12
- Age 5
- Weight 11-9
- Trainer G & J Moore
- Jockey R Garritty
held up in touch, headway 6th, led approaching last, driven out
Buckby Lane
39- Form 4P-2
- Age 7
- Weight 11-2
- Trainer P R Webber
- Jockey Jimmy McCarthy
held up in touch, blundered and unseated rider 4th
- Form 3000
- Age 6
- Weight 11-2
- Trainer T D Easterby
- Jockey D O'Meara
tracked leader, led 6th, headed approaching last, kept on same pace
- Age 5
- Weight 11-2
- Trainer Miss M Rowland
- Jockey J Mogford
midfield, mistake 3rd, weakened quickly 5th, tailed off when pulled up before next
- Age 5
- Weight 11-2
towards rear, never dangerous
King of Arms
21- Age 5
- Weight 11-2
- Trainer J Howard Johnson
- Jockey G Lee
keen early in midfield, pushed along 6th soon weakened
- Form 500P
- Age 6
- Weight 11-2
- Trainer Mrs L Williamson
- Jockey W A Worthington
tracked leaders, ridden 2 out, weakened approaching last
- Form 5
- Age 6
- Weight 11-2
- Trainer M Todhunter
- Jockey A Ross
raced keen in midfield, ridden approaching 2 out, soon weakened
Touch Closer
18- Form 13-0
- Age 6
- Weight 11-2
- Trainer G A Swinbank
- Jockey Jim Crowley
held up in rear, pushed along approaching 2 out, stayed on, same pace from between last 2, no impression on leaders
Posh Stick
47- Form 000-0PP
- Age 6
- Weight 10-11
in touch, ridden and effort approaching 2 out, weakened approaching last
Ragu
25- Form 323-543
- Age 5
- Weight 10-11
- Trainer Ferdy Murphy
- Jockey D N Russell
midfield, headway approaching 2 out to chase leaders, driven and effort approaching last, stayed on strongly flat to chase winner, held towards finish
- Form 0P404
- Age 4
- Weight 10-0
- Trainer J Hetherton
- Jockey P Aspell
midfield, headway 6th, effort 2 out, onepaced under pressure
In depth
Verdict
A tricky affair to weigh up. Buckby Lane has the form on the board and should be plenty short enough in the market. He was second to the highly rated Inca Trail at Ludlow in January at odds of 66/1 and certainly wont be that price here. St Matthew ran well enough behind Island Faith at Newcastle in similar conditions a couple of weeks ago. He will be difficult to place off his current handicap mark and it looks as if Novice contests are to be his forte this term. Maggie's Well races here after a posting a second to Begsy's Bullet at the last meeting. That was a career best for Chris Grant's mare and she will need to have improved again to land this prize. We will give a tentative vote to Touch Closer. A thorough stayer on the flat; he did disappoint on debut over timber but the fact he was well-backed on that occasion shows that the connections must have seen something on the gallops. Ragu should handle the surface but has invariably flattered-to-deceive in the closing stages of her races thus far.