Racecards
15:40 Thirsk
Spring Handicap (Class 5)
- 13 Runners
- Distance: 1m 4f
- Going: Good
- Surface: Turf
- Form 442511-
- Age 6
- Weight 9-5
- Official Rating 74
held up, headway over 2f out, led 1f out, kept on gamely final furlong
- Form 4061S-1
- Age 4
- Weight 9-5
- Official Rating 75
towards rear, headway over 2f out, stayed on final furlong
- Form 77364-2
- Age 5
- Weight 9-4
- Official Rating 73
- Trainer M D Hammond
- Jockey Greg Fairley
prominent, ridden to lead well over 1f out, headed 1f out, kept on same pace
- Form 2-11315
- Age 5
- Weight 9-3
- Official Rating 72
- Trainer G A Swinbank
- Jockey Dean McKeown
towards rear, pushed along over 3f out, some late headway, never reached challengening position
Haatmey
10- Form 14/89-47
- Age 4
- Weight 9-3
- Official Rating 73
- Trainer M R Channon
- Jockey Tony Culhane
prominent, driven over 3f out, soon beaten
- Form 164849-
- Age 6
- Weight 9-1
- Official Rating 70
in touch, pushed along over 3f out, stayed on same pace final 2f
- Form 1137-65
- Age 9
- Weight 8-13
- Official Rating 68
led, headed 5f out, remained in touch, ridden when weakening over 1f out
- Form 495131-
- Age 4
- Weight 8-11
- Official Rating 67
- Trainer T D Barron
- Jockey P Makin
towards rear, never dangerous
- Form 905-058
- Age 8
- Weight 8-11
- Official Rating 66
- Trainer W J Musson
- Jockey T P Queally
towards rear, driven over 3f out, stayed on towards finish
- Form 9000-80
- Age 4
- Weight 8-7
- Official Rating 63
- Trainer E J Alston
- Jockey D Allan
never better than mid-division
- Form 70/82-90
- Age 7
- Weight 8-7
- Official Rating 62
- Trainer G A Harker
- Jockey P Mulrennan
prominent, driven over 3f out, weakened over 1f out
- Form 5670/29
- Age 9
- Weight 8-5
- Official Rating 60
- Trainer M & D Easterby
- Jockey K Darley
prominent, chased along and lost ground over 4f out, soon beaten
- Form 76253-8
- Age 5
- Weight 8-5
- Official Rating 60
- Trainer M & D Easterby
- Jockey D J O'Donohoe
in touch, led 8f out, headed well over 1f out, one pace final furlong
In depth
Verdict
Another tough race to call here for punters with very little between many of the leading lights but the principals look to be Greenwich Meantime,Maneki Neko and Charlotte Vale and the vote is given to Meniki Neko. The selection won with plenty in hand last time out when beating Charlotte Vale last time out, granted he has a penalty for that win but he looks a progressive type and under conditions that suit he is taken to win again. Greenwich Meantime rates the main danger as he won well when last seen when defeating Rule Forever. However he has plenty of weight and he may just need the run after a 236 day absence and at likely odds he looks worth taking on. Charlotte Vale is weighted to get closer to the selection here but he still has a little to find. Haatmey looks on a handy mark on his best form but his stable are out of form so he can not be put forward with any confidence. Of the remainder Melvino is from a shrewd yard which is in top form and should be closely watched in the market but in a race that throws up more questions than answers and where stakes should be kept to a minimum for the winner we return to the progressive Maneki Neko.
Formwatch
Greenwich Meantime 9-4 (9-12) Steadied start and held up, headway over 2f out, ridden to lead well over 1f out, edged right final furlong, kept on, won at Ripon 2m hcp (5) gf in Aug beating Rule For Ever (8-8) by 1/2l, 4 ran.
Maneki Neko (IRE) 9-1 (8-7) In touch, headway over 3f out, ridden over 2f out, led over 1f out, kept on, won at Catterick 1m 6f hcp 0-85 (4) gs beating Charlotte Vale (8-12) by 2l, 15 ran.
Charlotte Vale 16-1 (8-12) Held up, headway 4f out, led over 2f out, headed over 1f out, kept on, 2nd of 15, 2l behind Maneki Neko (8-7) at Catterick 1m 6f hcp 0-85 (4) gs.
Cotton Eyed Joe (IRE) 5-2fav (10-3) Held up, headway over 6f out, ridden over 2f out, weakened over 1f out, 5th of 8, 11l behind Victory Quest (9-10) at Southwell 2m hcp 0-65 (6) fbs in Feb.
Haatmey 7-1 (9-5) Mid-division, lost place over 3f out, headway over 1f out, soon one pace, 7th of 10, 5l behind Shaunas Vision (9-4) at Lingfield 1m 4f hcap (5) pol.
Court of Appeal 7-1 (9-2) In touch, pushed along over 5f out, weakened 4f out, 5th of 6, 22l behind Kylkenny (9-5) at Southwell 1m 4f clm (6) fbs in Feb.
Melvino 17-2 (8-10) Held up in rear, headway over 2f out, ridden to lead inside final furlong, drew clear towards finish, won at Windsor 1m 4f hcp 0-70 (5) gd in Oct beating Hawridge King (8-12) by 1 1/2l, 16 ran.
Street Life (IRE) 10-1 (9-11) Slowly into stride, headway over 3f out, no extra inside final furlong, 8th of 16, 7l behind Sphinx (9-5) at Nottingham 1m 6f hcap (5) sft.