Racecards
15:15 Taunton
Jobseekers Recruitment Services 50th Anniversary Handicap Hurdle (Class 4)
- 6 Runners
- Distance: 2m 3f 1y
- Going: Heavy
- Surface: Turf
- £9,500 added
- Winner: £5,017
- 2nd: £2,308
- 3rd: £1,154
- 4th: £578
- Form 4-36462
- Age 6
- Weight 12-1
- Official Rating 121
- Trainer Mrs J Williams
- Jockey Mr Peter Summers
chased leaders, went 2nd before 5th until after 3 out, weakened before 2 out
- Form 121-13P
- Age 7
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 118
- Trainer T Lacey
- Jockey Stan Sheppard
chased leader until before 5th, went 2nd again 3 out until before 2 out, 3rd and no extra when jumped right last
- Form 50/651
- Age 7
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 118
- Trainer N P Mulholland
- Jockey Adrian Heskin
held up towards rear, headway after 3 out, went 2nd before 2 out, switched right before last, held flat, stayed on
Oxygen (FR)
49- Form 14-566
- Age 5
- Weight 11-1
- Official Rating 107
- Trainer Miss V Williams
- Jockey Ned Fox
held up in 4th, not fluent 3 out, soon beaten, weakened before 2 out
Roscoe Tara
730- Form 67453/
- Age 8
- Weight 10-11
- Official Rating 103
in rear, slow 1st, behind 5th, tailed off when pulled up before 2 out
In depth
Verdict
Balko Saint is a Listed winner over hurdles but hasn’t run over the smaller obstacles in more than a year. Earth King is improving but didn’t beat much at Exeter last month. Operation Manna’s run at Chepstow was too bad to be true as he has a good strike-rate and it would be no surprise to see him bounce back here but DECORATED (NAP) looks nicely treated on his handicap debut. He bolted up over 2m4f at Sedgefield having got taken off his feet by the useful Parramount over 2m at Hereford earlier. Oxygen has yet to reproduce his French form for new connections while Roscoe Tara will probably need this.
Formwatch
Balko Saint (FR) 9-2 (10-6) Held up in rear, went 3rd 7th, ridden after 4 out, effort to lead 3 out, in tight to 2 out and headed, not fluent last, stayed on, just held, 2nd of 5, nk behind Flic Ou Voyou (12-0) at Wincanton 2m 4f hcp (3) gd in Feb.
Operation Manna 6-1 (10-7) Mid-division, headway before 8th, lost place before 3 out, pulled up before 2 out, at Chepstow 3m hcp (2) gs in Feb.
Earth King (IRE) 4-1 (11-5) Made all, jumped well, shaken up before last, ridden run-in, ran on well, readily, won at Exeter 2m 3f (4) gd in Feb beating Buckhorn Rocco (11-5) by 3 1/2l, 4 ran.
Decorated 7-4 (11-0) Made all, not fluent 7th, clear 2 out, unchallenged, won at Sedgefield 2m 4f (4) sft in Dec beating Attention All (11-7) by 22l, 5 ran.
Oxygen (FR) 14-1 (11-9) Off the pace in rear, some late headway, never involved, 6th of 11, 14 1/2l behind Bumpy Johnson (11-10) at Ffos Las 2m 4f hcp (4) gs in Feb.
Roscoe Tara 12-1 (11-2) Towards rear, awkward 1st, pulled into midfield 4th, headway to chase leaders 4 out, ridden approaching 2 out, stayed on from before last, 3rd of 14, 9 3/4l behind Java Point (11-2) at Warwick 2m 5f mdn (4) gd in Mar.