Racecards
15:05 Sedgefield
Durham Mares' Only 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle (Class E)
- 9 Runners
- Distance: 2m 5f 110y
- Going: Heavy
- Form 4-11
- Age 7
- Weight 11-8
held up in touch, headway 5th, mistake next, ridden and weakened after 2 out
- Form 2-72231
- Age 7
- Weight 11-8
- Trainer M & D Easterby
- Jockey Mr G Carenza
in touch, headway 6th, ridden approaching 2 out, soon weakened
- Form 8251/7F
- Age 8
- Weight 11-2
- Trainer D McCain Jnr
- Jockey G Lee
made all, ridden approaching last, stayed on gamely flat
- Form 547-5P2
- Age 6
- Weight 11-2
- Trainer Mrs M Reveley
- Jockey F King
towards rear, pushed along approaching 2 out, no impression
Maggies Well
26- Form 5P
- Age 5
- Weight 11-2
with winner, ridden and slightly outpaced 2 out, stayed on to regain 2nd close home
State Casino
38- Form 0-P0P
- Age 6
- Weight 11-2
- Trainer Miss L Siddall
- Jockey T Siddall
track leaders, ridden and lost place 5th, soon tailed off, pulled up 2 out
Toto Taleca
48- Form 70/4-009
- Age 6
- Weight 11-2
- Trainer M E Sowersby
- Jockey B P Harding
towards rear, weakened halfway, tailed off when pulled up before last
- Form 140-6P6
- Age 6
- Weight 11-2
- Trainer Ferdy Murphy
- Jockey D N Russell
raced wide, held up in rear, headway approaching 2 out, ridden to chase winner approaching last, no extra towards finish
In depth
Verdict
Three stand out against the field here and in particular the two top weights, who should fight out the finish between them. Super Sammy has been in consistent form over hurdles this season finally getting his nose in front on heavy ground at Newcastle last week off. He was not disgraced before that when second to the useful Glenmoss Tara at Catterick, though he goes into unchartered territory here as far as the trip is concerned. If he gets a further three-quarters of a mile (he has seemed happy enough over 2m 3f) then he should be involved at the finish. However, preference here is for likely favourite Silken Pearls. Len Lungo has been patient with the mare, giving her one outing last season and then sending her out to win her bumper first time up at Hexham in November. A winning hurdles debut at Kelso shortly after confirmed that she has plenty more to come, loves the mud and also stays well and after a decent break since then she can progress further and lead them home here. This is another of those northern tracks at which Mary Reveley has a formidable record and therefore Lady Bob Back must merit respect. However, the mare has upwards of a stone to find with the other two, though a repeat of her heavy ground second to The Nomad at Wetherby on Boxing Day should cetrainly be enough to see her take some prize money home again. Toulon Rouge took a bumper here on debut, but has shown nothing since then and has been thrashed in three outings over hurdles this season, while fellow course winner Begsy's Bullet perhaps looks to have more chance of troubling the judge and does have a penchant for plenty of cut, though she reverts to hurdles after falling over fences at Bangor last time.