Racecards
15:40 Taunton
Elise Jones Virtual Delayed 18th Birthday Mares' Handicap Hurdle (Class 5)
- 13 Runners
- Distance: 2m 7f 198y
- Going: Heavy (Soft in places)
- Surface: Turf
- £5,844 added
- Winner: £2,794
- 2nd: £820
- 3rd: £410
- 4th: £350
- Form 49/73-77
- Age 7
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 100
- Trainer R Stephens
- Jockey Sean Houlihan
mid-division, weakened before 3 out
- Form 420-P72
- Age 7
- Weight 11-9
- Official Rating 97
- Trainer C J Down
- Jockey Joe Anderson
mostly chased leader who went clear before 8th, closer 4 out, led after 3 out, headed on long run before next, lost 2nd after 2 out, weakened before last
- Form 36-5748
- Age 7
- Weight 11-8
- Official Rating 96
- Trainer D Pipe
- Jockey Fergus Gillard
chased leaders, mistake 4 out, weakened soon after next
- Form 47-8373
- Age 6
- Weight 11-7
- Official Rating 95
- Trainer Mrs F Kehoe
- Jockey Thomas Doggrell
mid-division, outpaced and towards rear after 3 out, rallied and plugged on run-in
- Form 45-666
- Age 6
- Weight 11-5
- Official Rating 93
- Trainer Noel Williams
- Jockey P J Brennan
held up and behind, headway out wide chasing leaders before 3 out, 3rd and one pace before next
- Form 609-548
- Age 6
- Weight 11-4
- Official Rating 92
- Trainer O Signy
- Jockey Page Fuller
mid-division, good headway chasing leaders 8th, outpaced before 2 out, plugged on run-in
- Form 033-P40
- Age 8
- Weight 11-4
- Official Rating 92
- Trainer Miss J Du Plessis
- Jockey James Best
held up in last pair, never threatened
Autumn Gold
19- Form 0-PP59
- Age 8
- Weight 10-11
- Official Rating 85
- Trainer J Farrelly
- Jockey C Brassil
held up towards rear, good headway out wide chasing leaders after 4 out, weakened approaching 2 out
- Form 50-5553
- Age 7
- Weight 10-11
- Official Rating 85
- Trainer C J Down
- Jockey Charlie Hammond
chased leaders, pushed along edging left approaching 3 out, ridden after 3 out, slightly outpaced soon after, rallied into 2nd before 2 out, ridden to lead and edged left 100 yards out, always doing enough
Follow That
31- Form 4-49582
- Age 7
- Weight 10-10
- Official Rating 84
- Trainer O Murphy
- Jockey Aidan Coleman
held up in mid-division, headway out wide chasing leaders approaching 4 out, 2nd after 3 out, led before 2 out, soon clear, ridden and reduced lead between last 2, headed and slightly hampered final 100 yards, kept on, always held
- Form 84-085P
- Age 9
- Weight 10-5
- Official Rating 79
- Trainer H James
- Jockey Mr Nathan Brennan
made most, went clear before 8th, reduced lead 4 out, headed after 3 out, weakened before next
- Form 57/4-697
- Age 10
- Weight 10-3
- Official Rating 77
always rear-division
Secret Palace
138- Form 6P/8
- Age 9
- Weight 10-2
- Official Rating 76
- Trainer Miss G Haywood
- Jockey Benjamin Poste
raced keenly, chased leaders until weakened rapidly approaching 7th, soon tailed off and pulled up
Feodora
34- Form 2U8P-67
- Age 6
- Weight 11-1
- Official Rating 89
- Trainer O Sherwood
- Jockey Non Runner
NonRunner
- Form 4-38686
- Age 6
- Weight 11-0
- Official Rating 88
- Trainer F O'Brien
- Jockey Liam Harrison
NonRunner
- Form 6-40661
- Age 11
- Weight 10-8
- Official Rating 82
- Trainer Mark Gillard
- Jockey James Davies
NonRunner
- Form 7P-23P7
- Age 8
- Weight 10-3
- Official Rating 77
- Trainer J Farrelly
- Jockey Mitchell Bastyan
NonRunner
In depth
Verdict
Avithos won over a similar trip on heavy going at Fakenham last month and should again beat Always Able. Despite a 6lb rise, he should be competitive again in a race that probably won’t take much winning but the maiden Arctic Footprint is also interesting after an improved second at Exeter. Though he another half-mile to cover, FOLLOW THAT was staying on over 2m3f here last time. That was his best run yet over hurdles and he remains unexposed.
Formwatch
Golden Glory (IRE) 50-1 (11-0) Soon slight lead, headed on long run before 2 out, dropped to well held 3rd when left 2nd and badly hampered 2 out, weakened last, 7th of 11, 11 1/4l behind Nobel Joshua (11-7) at Taunton 3m hcp (4) gd in Nov.
Arctic Footprint 25-1 (11-2) Tracked winner until 4 out, ridden to chase winner again 3 out, kept on one pace, 2nd of 12, 2 1/4l behind Hudson Yard (11-2) at Exeter 2m 7f mdn (4) sft in Jan.
Shoot To Fame (IRE) 20-1 (11-5) Chased leader, led 2nd until 4th, chased leaders, 2nd again before 4 out until before next, ridden and weakened before 2 out, 8th of 12, dist behind Chloe's Court (11-6) at Exeter 2m 6f hcp (5) sft in Jan.
Always Able (IRE) 14-1 (11-9) Led, headed 4th, prominent, ridden 2 out, kept on one pace, 3rd of 9, 8 1/4l behind Avithos (10-4) at Fakenham 2m 7f hcp (5) hvy in Jan.
Sound Of Music 150-1 (11-0) Towards rear, closer approaching 4 out, weakened before 2 out, 6th of 15, 36 1/2l behind Little River Bay (11-12) at Newbury 2m 5f (4) hvy in Jan.
Annual Flavour (IRE) 28-1 (11-3) Chased leaders, moderate 3rd halfway, slight mistake 6 out and closer next, 6th 4 out, no extra after next, weakened, 8th of 11, 33 1/2l behind Balinaboola Steel (12-0) at Wexford 3m hcp Yielding - Soft in Aug.
Kingsmill Gin 18-1 (11-8) Prominent, led before 4th, mistake and headed 6th, weakened after next, 10th of 18, dist behind Alkopop (11-6) at Chepstow 2m 3f hcp (5) hvy in Jan.
Autumn Gold 200-1 (11-0) Chased leaders, lost place before 5th, well beaten before 2 out, 9th of 14, dist behind Rose Of Arcadia (11-0) at Wincanton 2m 5f (4) hvy in Feb.
Puzzle Cache 40-1 (11-2) In touch, ridden and headway 3 out, kept on same pace, 3rd of 12, 10 1/4l behind Hudson Yard (11-2) at Exeter 2m 7f mdn (4) sft in Jan.
Follow That 17-2 (10-10) Towards rear, headway out wide bypassing omitted 3 out, chased leaders before next, stayed on into 2nd final 100 yards, no chance with winner, 2nd of 13, 3 1/2l behind Spirit Of Rome (10-9) at Taunton 2m 3f hcp (5) sft in Jan.
Emmas Dilemma (IRE) 66-1 (10-0) Midfield, not fluent 1st, lost place and towards rear 2nd, reminders in rear 5th, jumped right 8th and driven, lost touch before 3 out (usual 2 out), tailed off when pulled up before 2 out, at Ffos Las 3m hcp (4) hvy in Feb.
Princess Roania (IRE) 150-1 (10-12) Raced wide in touch, pushed along 4f out, soon lost place, 7th of 9, 18 3/4l behind Really Super (10-12) at Lingfield 2m (4) pol in Feb.
Secret Palace 250-1 (10-12) Held up towards rear, ridden in last 4 out, soon tailed off, 8th of 9, dist behind Who What When (10-12) at Exeter 2m 1f mdn (4) gf in Oct.
Feodora 200-1 (11-0) Behind, plugged on past weakening rivals, never on terms, 7th of 15, dist behind Little River Bay (11-12) at Newbury 2m 5f (4) hvy in Jan.
Ask The Lady (IRE) 150-1 (10-12) Held up in mid-division, well behind leaders from 6th, 6th of 14, dist behind Uptown Lady (10-12) at Warwick 2m 3f (3) hvy in Feb.
Avithos 7-1 (10-4) Tracked leaders, ridden 2 out, led approaching last, soon clear, won at Fakenham 2m 7f hcp (5) hvy in Jan beating First Assembly (11-7) by 6 1/2l, 9 ran.
Havana River (IRE) 12-1 (10-4) Held up towards rear, struggling from 10th, 7th of 12, dist behind Invincible Cave (10-9) at Plumpton 3m 1f hcp (5) hvy in Nov.