Racecards
14:35 Uttoxeter
John Smith's Midlands Grand National Handicap Chase (Listed)
- 18 Runners
- Distance: 4m 1f 110y
- Going: Good to Soft (Hurdle: Good in places)
- Surface: Turf
- Form 06U-14P
- Age 8
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 147
towards rear, not fluent 5th, ridden and headway 4 out, never dangerous
- Form 4521F-0
- Age 8
- Weight 11-11
- Official Rating 146
- Trainer M C Pipe
- Jockey Timmy Murphy
always towards rear, tailed off and pulled up before 20th
- Form 21P5/8P
- Age 11
- Weight 11-10
- Official Rating 145
- Trainer P F Nicholls
- Jockey J Tizzard
led to 9th, blundered 10th, lost place when mistake 11th, tailed off and pulled up before 14th
- Form 313P/5P
- Age 11
- Weight 11-6
- Official Rating 141
- Trainer Mrs L C Taylor
- Jockey A Thornton
mid-division, reminders after 8th, mistake 11th, effort 20th, soon weakened, tailed off when pulled up before 2 out
- Form 5P-F852
- Age 8
- Weight 11-5
- Official Rating 140
- Trainer A King
- Jockey R Thornton
mid-division, headway 10th, led 4 out, 1 length clear when blundered and unseated rider 3 out
- Form 102464
- Age 6
- Weight 10-12
- Official Rating 133
- Trainer P F Nicholls
- Jockey P J Brennan
prominent, pushed along 8th, ridden 16th, outpaced after 20th, rallied after 2 out, kept on flat
- Form 14-276U
- Age 10
- Weight 10-12
- Official Rating 133
- Trainer M Scudamore
- Jockey T Scudamore
always behind, tailed off and pulled up after 16th
- Form P-6P112
- Age 9
- Weight 10-11
- Official Rating 132
- Trainer D P Keane
- Jockey N D Fehily
always behind, tailed off when pulled up before 20th
- Form P-P90UP
- Age 9
- Weight 10-10
- Official Rating 131
- Trainer J Parkinson & S Smith
- Jockey D Elsworth
tracked leaders, led 15th, hit 18th, ridden and headed 20th, soon weakened
- Form 893712
- Age 8
- Weight 10-9
- Official Rating 130
- Trainer P M J Doyle
- Jockey D N Russell
held up, headway and mistake 14th, ridden 4 out, weakened 3 out
- Form 023-15U
- Age 11
- Weight 10-2
- Official Rating 123
- Trainer Miss V Williams
- Jockey S Thomas
tracked leaders, lost place when mistake 17th, tailed off when mistake 3 out
- Form 31/1-P1
- Age 9
- Weight 10-2
- Official Rating 123
- Trainer Nick Williams
- Jockey Paul Carberry
held up, headway 18th, switched right approaching 4 out, switched left and left in lead 3 out, ridden 2 out, stayed on
- Form 9/U0-116
- Age 13
- Weight 10-0
- Official Rating 121
- Trainer Ferdy Murphy
- Jockey K Mercer
always behind, tailed off when pulled up before 20th
- Form 1/8218-2
- Age 9
- Weight 10-0
- Official Rating 121
- Trainer P F Nicholls
- Jockey Ruby Walsh
mid-division, reminders after 8th, ridden when mistake 17th, headway approaching 20th, one pace from 2 out
- Form 121521
- Age 9
- Weight 10-0
- Official Rating 121
- Trainer T R George
- Jockey S Durack
in touch, ridden 17th, headway 20th, every chance 4 out, chased winner from 3 out, stayed on towards finish
- Form PP0276
- Age 9
- Weight 10-0
- Official Rating 121
- Trainer Paul A Roche
- Jockey B P Harding
with leader, led 9th to 15th, led again 20th, ridden and headed 4 out, weakened 3 out
Heroic (IRE)
91- Form 241-937
- Age 9
- Weight 10-0
- Official Rating 121
held up, blundered 12th, 10th when blundered and unseated rider 19th
- Form 1F-5FP3
- Age 7
- Weight 10-0
- Official Rating 121
- Trainer J Howard Johnson
- Jockey G Lee
mid-division, mistake 8th, soon lost place, tailed off when pulled up before 13th
In depth
Verdict
Not many can be ruled out in the day's feature race at Uttoxeter, but we side with D'Argent who edges marginal preference over Bathwick Annie, L'Aventure and the lightly weighted Howdydoody, who all made the shortlist. With Ruby Walsh booked for the ride, it is safe to assume that the last mentioned horse is the premier hope from the Paul Nicholls trio and this lightly raced gelding surely has more to offer than we have seen from him to date. He arrives here fresher than many and solid market support will be hard to ignore. The 2001 Aon Chase winner Shotgun Willy completes Nicholls hand and the 11-year-old has to be respected despite his advancing years. He will not mind any softening of the ground but he has been too far below his former standard to confidently recommend a strong play with him this this afternoon. His stablemate L'Aventure comfortably had his measure when they met at Warwick and she looks a safer option from those two. Padge Brennan gets on well with her and she could easily make the frame if she does not leave herself with too much to do near the finish. Similar comments apply to Bathwick Annie, who has been a great servant to her yard this term. However, she has never raced over a trip this far and has a little to prove regarding her stamina. Therefore, we take our chance with Alan King's leading stayer D'Argent. This has been the long-standing target for D'Argent, who is a bold jumper that shapes as if a marathon test will suit him ideally. He will not be going on to Aintree after this, so he is expected to be going hell-for-leather to round off his campaign in good style.
Formwatch
Stormez (FR) 25-1 Always behind, tailed off when pulled up 5 out in race won by Baron Windrush at Warwick 3m 5f hcp chs Grd 3 (A) sft in Jan, 16 ran.
Jurancon II (FR) 20-1 Never better than mid-division, weakened 17th, virtually pulled up flat, 10th of 17, well behind Silver Birch at Chepstow 3m 5f hcp chs Grd 3 (A) hvy in Dec.
Shotgun Willy (IRE) 40-1 Mid-division, mistake 4th, soon lost place, behind when pulled up at the 11th in race won by Baron Windrush at Warwick 3m 5f hcp chs Grd 3 (A) sft in Jan, 16 ran.
Gingembre (FR) 12-1 Held up in rear, struggling from 11th, tailed off when pulled up 4 out in race won by Run For Paddy at Doncaster 3m hcp chs 0-145 (B) gd, 10 ran.
D'Argent (IRE) 9-1 Tracked leaders, mistake 1st, led 18th, ridden 2 out, headed and no extra flat, 2nd of 16, 2 1/2l behind Baron Windrush at Warwick 3m 5f hcp chs Grd 3 (A) sft in Jan.
L'Aventure (FR) 9-1 Tracked leaders, pushed along approaching 16th, weakened 4 out, 4th of 11, 15l behind Forest Gunner at Haydock 3m 4f hcp chs Grd 3 (A) sft in Feb.
Wild Tempo (FR) 100-1 Behind when blundered and unseated rider at the 4th in race won by Spot Thedifference at Cheltenham 3m 7f hcp chs (B) gs, 16 ran.
Bathwick Annie 7-2 Chased leaders to 3rd, raced prominent after, chased winner 15th, ridden 4 out, kept on same pace, 2nd of 4, 4l behind Heros Collonges at Wincanton 3m 1f lst chs (A) gs in Feb.
Artic Jack (FR) 16-1 Led, not fluent 7th (water), headed next, ridden approaching 11th, weakened before next, behind when pulled up 4 out in race won by Colourful Life at Doncaster 3m hcp chs 0-145 (A) gd in Jan, 12 ran.
Lord Who (IRE) 4-1 Held up in touch, improved into 4th 4 out, 3rd before last, kept on under pressure, 2nd of 10, 4 1/2l behind Jim at Leopardstown 2m 5f hcp chs hvy.
Just Maybe (IRE) 40-1 Not fluent, led after 1st to 3rd, prominent when mistake and unseated rider at the 11th in race won by Spot Thedifference at Cheltenham 3m 7f hcp chs (B) gs, 16 ran.
Philson Run (IRE) 6-1 Held up, headway 13th, left 2nd 14th, challenging when blundered 4 out, led next, soon clear, driven out, won at Chepstow 3m 2f hcp chs 0-125 (D) sft in Feb beating Prominent Profile by 9l, 6 ran.
Mac's Supreme (IRE) 10-1 Towards rear, never dangerous, 6th of 10, well behind Malek at Kelso 4m hcp chs 0-135 (C) sft.
Howdydoody (IRE) 5-1 Held up, headway to chase winner from 16th, no chance with winner from 3 out, 2nd of 8, 8l behind Earl's Kitchen at Chepstow 3m 2f hcp chs 0-125 (D) gs in Feb.
Toulouse-Lautrec (IRE) 9-1 Always prominent, led 13th, went right 3 out, hung left under pressure flat, all out, won at Exeter 3m 6f hcp chs 0-125 (D) gs beating Madam's Man by a nk, 16 ran.
Hersov (IRE) 100-1 Held up, lost touch from halfway, tailed off, 6th of 7, well behind Rule Supreme at Leopardstown 3m chs Grd 1 (A) sft in Feb.
Heroic (IRE) 25-1 With leaders, weakened 17th, 7th of 10, well behind Merchants Friend at Haydock 3m 4f hcp chs 0-135 (C) hvy in Dec.
Fields of Home (IRE) 11-1 Chased leaders, pushed along 3 out, ridden 2 out, kept on one pace, 3rd of 6, 5l behind Haut de Gamme at Kelso 2m 6f hcp chs 0-130 (C) sft.