Racecards
13:40 Taunton
Somerset County Gazette Handicap Hurdle (Class 5)
- 6 Runners
- Distance: 3m 110y
- Going: Firm, Good to Firm in places
- Surface: Turf
- £4,000 added
- Winner: £2,738
- 2nd: £798
- 3rd: £399
Regal Flow
25- Form 9/7287-3
- Age 7
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 100
- Trainer Mrs Caroline Keevil
- Jockey Mr L Drowne
chased leaders, led after 3 out, pushed clear when not fluent last, ran on well
- Form 4544-0F
- Age 7
- Weight 11-2
- Official Rating 90
- Trainer L Corcoran
- Jockey C Brassil
held up in rear but in touch, weakened before 4 out, soon tailed off
- Form 06-4525
- Age 6
- Weight 11-1
- Official Rating 89
- Trainer A J Whiting
- Jockey S Bowen
soon led, headed after 2nd, lost place before 8th, rallied after 2 out, kept on well closing stages
- Form 445-323
- Age 5
- Weight 11-1
- Official Rating 89
- Trainer Miss S West
- Jockey M Goldstein
with leader, led after 2nd, headed approaching 8th, soon ridden, outpaced after 3 out, stayed on well towards finish
- Form 38PF63
- Age 7
- Weight 10-13
- Official Rating 87
- Trainer P Hobbs & J White
- Jockey Conor Smith
chased leaders, led approaching 8th, headed after 3 out, rallied next, no extra flat
- Form 46-2231
- Age 8
- Weight 10-11
- Official Rating 85
- Trainer N & W Twiston-Davies
- Jockey David England
in touch, not fluent 7th, under pressure before next, rallied before 2 out, weakened flat
In depth
Verdict
Driving Well was second to the odds-on Silent Knight on fast going at Worcester in July but has disappointed since at Ffos Las. Spanish Fork is consistent but treading water off his current mark while Dazzling Rita has been raised 7lb after finally getting off the mark over a slightly shorter trip at Stratford. STATE DEPARTMENT was well behind the latter at Uttoxeter last month but is better than that. He can't get much lower in the weights and Conor Smith takes off 10lb so we'll give him one last chance to come good ahead of Fontwell third Regal Flow.
Formwatch
Regal Flow 17-2 (11-5) Tracked leaders, 2nd 4 out, challenged 2 out, soon driven along, lost 2nd but every chance last, kept on same pace in 3rd run in, 3rd of 8, 4l behind Aaly (10-0) at Fontwell 3m 3f hcp hdl 0-100 (5) gd.
Cute Court (IRE) 25-1 (11-2) Held up in rear, headway 5th, pushed along before 5 out, weakening when fell heavily 5 out, in a race won by Moon Melody (10-0) at Southwell 3m hcp hdl 0-100 (5) gd in Jul, 11 ran.
Driving Well (IRE) 8-1 (11-7) Chased leaders, weakened before 2 out, 5th of 8, 19l behind Chill Factor (11-8) at Ffos Las 3m hcp hdl 0-100 (5) gd in Aug.
Spanish Fork (IRE) 3-1fav (11-1) Led, ridden 3 out, headed next, kept on one pace, 3rd of 7, 8l behind Oscars Way (11-2) at Huntingdon 3m 2f hcp hdl 0-100 (5) gd.
State Department 4-1 (10-0) Chased leader, hit 4th, mistake 8th, pushed along and lost 2nd before 3 out, chased leading pair but no chance when ridden before 2 out, hit last, 3rd of 7, 14l behind Ni Sin E Mo Ainm (11-4) at Exeter 2m 5f nov hcp hdl 0-105 (4) gf.
Dazzling Rita 5-1 (10-10) Held up mid-division, headway 6th, led after 2 out, ridden before last, kept on well, won at Stratford 2m 6f hcp hdl 0-100 (5) gd beating Baltic Ben (10-6) by 1 1/4l, 11 ran.