Racecards
12:20 Uttoxeter
Book Your Christmas Party At Uttoxeter Racecourse Novices' Hurdle (Class E)
- 10 Runners
- Distance: 2m
- Going: Good, Good to Soft in places
- Form P4-13
- Age 6
- Weight 11-5
- Trainer Miss V Williams
- Jockey B J Crowley
tracked leaders, led approaching 3 out, driven out
- Age 5
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer Andrew Turnell
- Jockey V T Keane
mid-division, mistake 5th, soon lost place, tailed off when pulled up 3 out
Barton Gate
237- Form 5036-
- Age 5
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer D Keane
- Jockey J M Maguire
prominent to 6th, tailed off and pulled up before last
Extremist (USA)
182- Form 3
- Age 4
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer K Bailey & M Nicholls
- Jockey J P McNamara
led, ridden and headed approaching 3 out, kept on one pace
Fen Gypsy
332- Form 00-
- Age 5
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer P D Evans
- Jockey Antony Evans
held up, headway 6th, ridden appraoching 3 out, weakened quickly, tailed off and pulled up before last
- Age 5
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer P R Webber
- Jockey A Thornton
mid-division, headway 6th, ridden 3 out, weakened last
Red Forest (IRE)
429- Form PP-
- Age 4
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer J Mackie
- Jockey Richard Gordon
took keen hold, always towards rear, behind when pulled up before 6th
- Form 02-
- Age 4
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer D R Gandolfo
- Jockey T Doyle
held up, hit 1st, headway approaching 7th, ridden and every chance last, not quickened
- Form P5PP
- Age 4
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer P A Blockley
- Jockey D Nolan
tracked leaders, ridden approaching 6th, soon weakened, tailed off and pulled up before last
- Age 4
- Weight 10-7
- Trainer R Phillips
- Jockey J Mogford
held up and keen, mistake 5th, ridden approaching 3 out, soon weakened
In depth
Verdict
With the debutantes Its A Mystery and In The Stars only moderate maidens on the flat and a doubt about Arjay staying the trip, this looks set to go to Grand Finale who proved an expensive failure last time. The Venetia Williams-trained Irish gelding was a useful performer on the level in his native country and was once spoken of a possible for the Irish Derby by his trainer Dermot Weld after winning a Listed contest at Leopardstown back in 2000, with subsequent dual Derby and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Sinndar in second place. After a successful debut over hurdles at Worcester back in May, where the second and third have both won since and the fourth home that day Champagne Harry has gone on to win five races since. Next seen at Newton Abbot in June he was sent off at 1/3 favourite to follow up, but there was a shock in store for his supporters when he could only finish third. It could have been that he found the ground too fast for him there, so with the forecast rain very much in his favour, he should have conditions to suit. Extremist missed an engagement at Fakenham on Thursday due to the fast and rough ground and he too should be suited by this easier surface. A winner over 12-furlongs on the flat, he shaped as though he will stay much further than this two-miles on his debut at Bangor. The flat-bred Rooster's Reunion showed promise in a bumper at Chepstow and he could well be the one to chase Grand Finale home.