Racecards
15:05 Warwick
Tote Classic Chase (A Handicap) (Class A)
- 12 Runners
- Distance: 3m 5f
- Going: Good to Soft
- Form 61150-2
- Age 9
- Weight 11-12
chased leader to16th, ridden next, hit 4 out, 15 lengths down at 3rd and weakening when fell 2 out
Ad Hoc (IRE)
21- Form 33U1-66
- Age 10
- Weight 11-6
- Trainer P F Nicholls
- Jockey R Thornton
behind when fell 4th
- Form 3014-P1
- Age 12
- Weight 10-10
- Trainer A M Balding
- Jockey R McGrath
mistakes, held up in touch, behind from 6th, tailed off when pulled up before 16th
- Form 406-F21
- Age 10
- Weight 10-10
- Trainer N & W Twiston-Davies
- Jockey C Llewellyn
held up in touch, lost place 10th, 25 lengths in 3rd when fell last, remounted
- Form P/P25P-3
- Age 9
- Weight 10-3
- Trainer P F Nicholls
- Jockey J Tizzard
held up in touch, weakened after 15th, tailed off
Akarus (FR)
14- Form 16P02-F
- Age 9
- Weight 10-3
behind, some headway 15th, soon weakened, tailed off when pulled up before 18th
- Form 2000-43
- Age 9
- Weight 10-1
- Trainer Miss H Knight
- Jockey G Lee
held up, headway 15th, led 16th, ridden approaching last, soon under pressure, driven out
Ardent Scout
48- Form 2120-43
- Age 12
- Weight 10-0
- Trainer J Parkinson & S Smith
- Jockey W Marston
prominent until weakened after 15th
- Form 0-2PU4F
- Age 10
- Weight 10-0
- Trainer J & A O'Neill
- Jockey S Durack
held up, raced wide, lost place 5th, not fluent 8th, soon behind, tailed off, pulled up before 17th
- Form P13-145
- Age 7
- Weight 10-0
- Trainer M C Pipe
- Jockey J P Elliott
mid-division, headway 9th, hit 4 out, ridden and every chance last, no extra towards finish
- Form 11P1-11
- Age 8
- Weight 10-0
- Trainer T Geraghty
- Jockey D N Russell
led, hit and headed 16th, ridden and weakened 3 out, left poor 3rd and hampered 2 out
In depth
Verdict
Southern Star is long overdue a big race victory and he can land this marathon ahead of Behrajan, Take Control and Akarus. The selection is a model of consistency with his only poor run in his last eight races coming in the 2003 Grand National. With the in-form Graham Lee riding and conditions looking ideal he has a massive chance of winning his first race for nearly three years. Behrajan ran a cracking race in defeat at Ascot on his latest start and with his stable flying he looks set to run another big race. Take Control is normally a sound jumper and if he can be forgiven an uncharacteristically poor run last time out behind Bindaree he could go close. Martin Pipe's Akarus is respected with Tony McCoy having to waste to make the light weight but his likely short starting price does not correspond with what he has achieved on the racetrack. Of the rest Ad Hoc, Ardent Scout and Montifault will give punters a run for their money but they will all have to improve to beat the selection Southern Star.