Racecards
18:05 Uttoxeter
Mount Argus Open Hunters' Chase (Class 6)
- 13 Runners
- Distance: 3m 2f
- Going: Heavy, Soft in places
- Surface: Turf
- Form P/42151-
- Age 11
- Weight 12-5
- Official Rating 120
- Trainer J & A O'Neill
- Jockey Mr A J Berry
held up, headway 9th, blundered 13th, led after 3 out, clear 2 out, pushed out
- Form U646/3-1
- Age 9
- Weight 12-0
- Official Rating 73
- Trainer Miss J Froggatt
- Jockey Mr J Jarrett
towards rear, blundered and unseated rider 2nd
Bold Navigator
434- Form 5P321P/
- Age 16
- Weight 12-0
- Official Rating 89
tracked leaders, weakened 11th, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out
- Form 51133-4
- Age 10
- Weight 12-0
- Trainer Mrs Mandy Hand
- Jockey Mr D Edwards
towards rear, headway approaching 14th, ridden approaching 3 out, kept on to go 2nd last, no chance with winner
- Form 1/P1223-
- Age 12
- Weight 12-0
- Official Rating 94
- Trainer B R Woodhouse
- Jockey Mr B Woodhouse
tracked leaders, hit 5th, lost place 7th, soon behind
- Form 5461/UP-
- Age 9
- Weight 12-0
- Official Rating 92
- Trainer D Easterby
- Jockey Miss J Coward
in touch, mistake 1st, lost place after 9th, towards rear when blundered 13th, tailed off when pulled up before 2 out
- Form 5U543-6
- Age 11
- Weight 12-0
- Trainer Patrick Thompson
- Jockey Mr S Ross
prominent, led 9th to 10th, mistake 13th, soon led again, ridden and headed 14th, weakened next
- Form 4F121P-
- Age 7
- Weight 12-0
- Trainer Mrs C J Robinson
- Jockey Mr A Wintle
always behind, tailed off when pulled up before 12th
- Form 25/224-U
- Age 12
- Weight 12-0
- Official Rating 102
- Trainer D Easterby
- Jockey Miss Natalie Lloyd
towards rear when hampered then unseated rider 2nd
Scallyweld
15- Form PUP31-7
- Age 8
- Weight 12-0
towards rear, headway 8th, led 14th, hit 3 out, soon ridden and headed, weakening when mistake last
- Form 21/256-P
- Age 9
- Weight 12-0
- Official Rating 82
- Trainer Miss Jennifer Pidgeon
- Jockey Mr R H Fowler
in touch, pushed along after 9th, weakened 12th
- Form P1U/F39-
- Age 11
- Weight 12-0
- Official Rating 107
- Trainer P Senter
- Jockey Mr R Quinn
led to 9th, led again 10th, blundered 13th, soon headed, weakened 14th, tailed off when pulled up after 15th
In depth
Verdict
Knife Edge is likely to be at prohibitive odds and is hard to oppose in a race where the main dangers look to be Mr Mahdlo and Rebel Lad. The selection was useful on his day over both hurdles and fences and has shown that he still retains plenty of ability in winning in this grade at both Warwick and Cheltenham recently. A reproduction of either of those winning efforts would surely suffice against his rivals here. Frontenac is lightly raced but needs to improve to trouble the judge and of more interest may be Raiseapearl, who won this contest 12 months ago but has disappointed since then. The ex-German Toscanini should be appreciative of the underfoot conditions, while Mr Mahdlo was well held at Kelso last time and is hard to back on that evidence. Winning pointer Rebel Lad is hard to evaluate but it will a surprise if he is good enough to beat Knife Edge, who gets the vote.
Formwatch
Knife Edge (USA) 14-1 (11-11) Chased leaders in 4th, went 3rd and not fluent 9th, hit 15th, ridden from 3 out, driven to lead last, stayed on well, won at Cheltenham 3m 2f hts chs (4) gd in Apr beating Yeoman Sailor (12-0) by 7l, 10 ran.
Frontenac (IRE) 12-1 (11-11) Tracked leaders, led 7th until 12th, prominent, ridden after 4 out, weakened approaching 2 out, 4th of 8, 15l behind Bengal Bullet (11-9) at N Abbot 3m 2f hts chs (6) gf.
Mr Mahdlo 9-4 (12-0) Soon towards rear, 3rd of 8, well behind Jacksonville (11-9) at Kelso 3m 1f hts chs (5) sft in Apr.
Preston Brook 7-2 (12-5) pulled up in race won by Mr Pendleberry (12-0) at Duncombe Park 3m ptp gd in Feb, 15 ran.
Raiseapearl 14-1 (11-3) Tracked leaders, hit 8th, weakening when mistake 16th, behind when mistake 2 out, 6th of 8, 37l behind Tsar's Twist (11-5) at Ludlow 3m 1f hts chs (5) gf in Apr.
Rebel Lad (IRE) 5-4fav (12-0) A last pr; rdn 9; pulled up in race won by Gunner Royal (12-0) at Heslaker 3m ptp gf in Apr, 7 ran.
Sad Mad Bad (USA) 5-1 (12-0) Mid-div til unseated rider in race won by Duchess Account (11-7) at Dingley 4m ptp gd, 20 ran.
Toscanini (GER) 33-1 (11-7) In touch, outpaced after 15th, headway approaching 3 out, held when left 2nd 2 out, 2nd of 8, 10l behind Bengal Bullet (11-9) at N Abbot 3m 2f hts chs (6) gf.