Racecards
14:30 Wincanton
Blackmore Vale 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle (Class E)
- 18 Runners
- Distance: 2m 6f
- Going: Good to Soft, Soft in places
- Form 002-122
- Age 6
- Weight 11-11
- Trainer P Hobbs & J White
- Jockey R Johnson
in touch, ridden 3 out, chased clear winner from 2 out, faded
Rakalackey
49- Form 55-1
- Age 6
- Weight 11-11
- Trainer H D Daly
- Jockey M Bradburne
mid-division, ridden approaching 3 out, one pace
- Form 520-5P1
- Age 6
- Weight 11-11
- Trainer C Roberts
- Jockey Christian Williams
mid-division, headway 5th, ridden and weakened 3 out
- Form 1-1122
- Age 6
- Weight 11-6
- Trainer Miss S Smith
- Jockey M A Fitzgerald
in touch, headway 4 out, chased leaders, soon ridden, weakened 2 out
Choco Roco
19- Form 00
- Age 7
- Weight 11-4
- Trainer D Burchell
- Jockey A Scholes
in rear, tailed off 5th, pulled up next
- Form 6
- Age 5
- Weight 11-4
- Trainer C L Tizzard
- Jockey J Tizzard
in touch until ridden 4 out and lost place
- Form 00-0P
- Age 6
- Weight 11-4
- Trainer F Tucker
- Jockey Mr R Mccarthy
tracked leaders, ridden and lost place 5th, pulled up before 3 out
Friar Peter
33- Form P
- Age 7
- Weight 11-4
- Trainer B G Powell
- Jockey J P McNamara
tailed off from 5th, pulled up before 7th
- Form 22-U2
- Age 6
- Weight 11-4
- Trainer Miss H Knight
- Jockey J Culloty
tracked leaders, ridden and weakened from 4 out, pulled up before 2 out
- Form 2
- Age 5
- Weight 11-4
- Trainer B G Powell
- Jockey D N Russell
held up mid-division, weakening after 6th, soon pulled up
- Form 1-26
- Age 5
- Weight 11-4
- Trainer P F Nicholls
- Jockey Ruby Walsh
held up, ridden and outpaced 4 out, stayed on strongly approaching 2 out, ran on well
- Form 04
- Age 6
- Weight 11-4
- Trainer H Morrison
- Jockey Jimmy McCarthy
never a factor, tailed off when pulled up before 2 out
- Form 53
- Age 6
- Weight 11-4
- Trainer Miss H Knight
- Jockey N D Fehily
towards rear, ridden from 4 out, soon weakened
- Age 7
- Weight 11-4
- Trainer Ian Williams
- Jockey D R Dennis
mid-division, weakened 6th, pulled up before 2 out
- Form 4-6
- Age 6
- Weight 11-4
- Trainer J Old
- Jockey L P Aspell
always behind, well behind when pulled up before 7th
Vista Verde
19- Form 06
- Age 6
- Weight 11-4
- Trainer A King
- Jockey R Thornton
held up in touch, headway and mistake 6th, ridden 3 out, weakened next
St Kilda
46- Form 03663-F
- Age 7
- Weight 10-13
- Trainer Mrs H Bridges
- Jockey Mr T J Malone
led, headed approaching 8th, ridden and weakened quickly next
In depth
Verdict
With runners from the stable of Philip Hobbs generally running below par at present Limerick Leader looks worth taking on and we do so with Rakalackey, who gets the verdict over Material World. The last mentioned, who only has one eye, has progressed well from bumpers to make a winning start to his hurdling career at Folkestone prior to a couple of creditable seconds against decent types in the shape of Diamant Noir at Towcester and Krack at Ascot. Both of those runs have been under more testing conditions than today's, but the prevailing conditions should not pose a problem as the son of Karinga Bay won two bumpers on good ground. Suzy Smith's gelding holds solid claims but narrow preference is for Rakalackey. Henry Daly's gelding is a half-brother to the stable's Young Spartacus and seems to have inherited a good deal of his ability if judged by a debut success over hurdles at Market Rasen on his reappearance in November. The selection stayed on well to beat Samby (a good winner since) by five lengths that day and, with further improvement to come, he looks worth a bet. Limerick Leader has struggled under his penalty in his last two starts and may do so again, so a bigger threat may come from Henrietta Knight's Imperial Dream, who showed his best form so far at Exeter last time. The Paul Nicholls-trained Onwardsandupwards is probably a good deal better than he showed at Newbury last time, while other former winners Victory Gunner and Accipiter need to improve to trouble Rakalackey, who gets the vote.