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Racecards

13:50 Stratford

Shottery Beginners' Chase (Class 4)

  • 3 Runners
  • Distance: 2m 4f
  • Going: Good, Good to Firm in places
  • Surface: Turf
  • £7,000 added
Weighed In
  • Winning Time: 0m 0.01s
  • Off Time: 13:50:19
  • 3 Ran
Go to Full Result
1
Silk -

Ashkazar (FR)

1/4

    1
    Silk - ROYAL BLUE, EMERALD GREEN sleeves, WHITE cap, EMERALD GREEN spots

    Ashkazar (FR)

    233
    1/4
    • Form 112/010-
    • Age 5
    • Weight 11-3

    tracked leader, challenged 7th, led next, easily (no time taken)

    2
    Silk - Red and Purple (quartered), Yellow sleeves, Red cap

    Like A Duke (FR)

    9
    14/1
    • Form 74P6-75
    • Age 6
    • Weight 11-3
    • Official Rating 109

    held up in 3rd, took keen hold, ridden after 2 out, soon weakened, fell last

    3
    Silk - Pale Blue, Scarlet cap

    Oscar Royal (IRE)

    14 D
    9/2
    • Form 4UP42P
    • Age 8
    • Weight 11-3
    • Official Rating 117

    led, joined 7th, headed next, ridden after 3 out, soon hanging right, beaten approaching last, eased flat

    4
    NR

    Sunnyhillboy (IRE)

    210 D
    • Form 311101-
    • Age 6
    • Weight 11-3
    • Official Rating 134

    Nonrunner

    Previous results

    2008
    Silk -

    Crescent Island (IRE)

    11/4
    • Age 5
    • Weight 11-3

    2007
    Silk -

    Blaeberry

    4/6
    • Age 6
    • Weight 10-9

    In depth

    Verdict

    Just the four runners go to post for the opening beginners' chase and it looks little more than a match between ASHKAZAR and Sunnyhillboy with preference for the former. David Pipe's gelding lacks any experience over fences but has shown a decent level of form over hurdles, winning the Kingwell Hurdle in good fashion last season prior to disappointing in the Champion Hurdle on his most recent start. A reproduction of the pick of his hurdling form would make the five-year-old tough to beat in this company. Colin Tizzard's Like A Duke has looked little better than ordinary, while Peter Hiatt's Oscar Royal ran well when chasing home another Pipe runner, Seven Is My Number, over course and distance last month but failed to run up to that level of form at Ludlow subsequently. Jonjo O'Neill's Sunnyhillboy showed progressive form over hurdles last season, bouncing back from a poor run in the County Hurdle with a decent success at Aintree on his only outing after that. The son of Old Vic is likely to do better over fences and he has to be respected first time out over the larger obstacles but preference is for Ashkazar.

    Formwatch

    Ashkazar (FR) 14-1 (11-10) Chased leaders, not fluent 3rd, pushed along next, weakened 5th, well behind when went sharply left 2 out, 19th of 23, well behind Punjabi (11-10) at Cheltenham 2m hdl G1 (1) gs in Mar.

    Like A Duke (FR) 33-1 (11-2) Raced keenly, jumped badly left, led, blundered 3rd, headed 5th, weakened next, tailed off, last of 5, well behind Tataniano (11-2) at Exeter 2m 1f beg chs (3) gd.

    Oscar Royal (IRE) 6-1 (11-4) Led to 11th, 3rd when pulled up after 13th, in a race won by Matuhi (11-4) at Ludlow 2m 4f beg chs (4) gf, 7 ran.

    Sunnyhillboy (IRE) 8-1 (11-0) Held up in rear, headway on inside approaching 3 out where mistakes, led before last, ran on well flat, won at Aintree 2m 4f Listed hcp hdl (1) gd in Apr beating Prince Taime (11-2) by 4l, 22 ran.