Racecards
16:20 Stratford
Intrum Justitia Novices' Hurdle (Class C) (Class C)
- 10 Runners
- Distance: 2m 110y
- Going: None specified
- Form 411
- Age 5
- Weight 11-8
- Trainer C J Mann
- Jockey N D Fehily
in touch, struggling when not fluent 6th, soon weakened, well behind when pulled up before 2 out
Dawton (POL)
45- Form 0-011
- Age 6
- Weight 11-8
- Trainer T R George
- Jockey J M Maguire
chased winner until bad mistake and lost place second, weakened 5th, tailed off
Power Unit
28- Form 3P1-314
- Age 9
- Weight 11-8
- Trainer Mrs D Hamer
- Jockey B Hitchcott
tracked leaders, chased winner 5th, ridden approaching 3 out, lost 2nd and weakened approaching 2 out
Selvas (GER)
16- Form 1-P113
- Age 4
- Weight 11-7
- Trainer J & A O'Neill
- Jockey A P McCoy
prominent, chased winner second until 5th, ridden next, stayed on to go 2nd approaching 2 out, no chance with winner
- Form 11/054-3
- Age 8
- Weight 10-12
held up, some headway 5th, weakened next, tailed off
Looking Down
35- Form 01
- Age 4
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer John Allen
- Jockey L P Aspell
mid-division, never near leaders
- Age 5
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer P Morris
- Jockey Antony Evans
always behind, mistake 4th, tailed off, pulled up before 5th
- Form P
- Age 4
- Weight 10-11
- Trainer Miss L Davis
- Jockey J Pritchard
mid-division, not fluent 3rd, soon struggling, well behind 5th, tailed off when mistake 3 out
Marcel (FR)
72- Form 23
- Age 4
- Weight 10-11
- Trainer M C Pipe
- Jockey Timmy Murphy
made all, clear approaching 2 out comfortably
Mantel Mini
258- Form 00/0-
- Age 5
- Weight 10-7
- Trainer B Pearce
- Jockey Mr G Gallagher
always behind, tailed off from 5th
In depth
Verdict
An interesting novice hurdle can go to Marcel, with his main dangers looking to be Alroyal, Selvas and Dawton. Looking at the runners. Alroyal has looked progressive in scoring on his last two starts,as has multiple Polish winner Dawton, who is said to prefer good or faster going so monitor the weather. Power Unit scored well over course and distance but then ran very disappointingly at Newton Abbot. Selvas also won two before finishing third at Bangor, where it was reported that the horse was not ideally suited by the sharp track. Well, Stratford is sharper than Bangor, which adds a curiosity to this race analysis. Buffalo Bill comes into the reckoning on his British debut because he has shown a decent level of novice form in Ireland, but Looking Down's win last time came in a seller and more is needed today. It would be foolish to overlook a Martin Pipe runner at this level so French import Marcel, who showed fair form in four starts in his native country also comes into the reckoning. The winner should come from one of these with our vote, once again, going to Marcel.