Racecards
18:00 Wincanton
Jewson Novices' Hurdle (qualifier) (Class 4)
- 13 Runners
- Distance: 2m
- Going: Good, Good to Firm in places
- Surface: Turf
- Form 703351-
- Age 5
- Weight 11-4
led and soon clear, ridden and headway after 3 out, kept on one pace
Sou'wester
19- Form 254F/13-
- Age 6
- Weight 11-4
- Official Rating 90
- Trainer C L Tizzard
- Jockey J Tizzard
in touch, headway approaching 2 out, ridden and every chance last, not pace of winner flat
- Form 0900/95-
- Age 6
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer Evan Williams
- Jockey Paul Moloney
always towards rear, blundered 3rd, no impression
Magic Merlin
10- Form 2-8
- Age 5
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer C P Morlock
- Jockey Karl Poole
prominent, mistake 3rd, blundered 4th, weakened after 3 out
- Form 7/159-
- Age 6
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer J W Mullins
- Jockey A Thornton
mistake 2nd, always behind
Recount (FR)
14- Form 3-
- Age 6
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer C J Mann
- Jockey N D Fehily
mid-division, headway after 3 out, ridden and kept on well to go 3rd approaching last
- Form 7493/P
- Age 5
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer N I M Rossiter
- Jockey Jim Crowley
always towards rear, behind 3 out, pulled up before 2 out
Xcentra
19- Form 30/346F-
- Age 5
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer B G Powell
- Jockey Timmy Murphy
held up in touch, headway 3 out, ridden and weakened before 2 out, pulled up before last
Ameeq (USA)
161- Form 4-
- Age 4
- Weight 10-8
- Trainer G & J Moore
- Jockey J E Moore
held up in touch, headway from 5th, chased leaders approaching 2 out, led soon after, pushed clear flat, easily
Bay Hawk
162- Form 608-
- Age 4
- Weight 10-8
- Trainer B G Powell
- Jockey R Thornton
held up towards rear, ridden 3 out, no impression
- Age 4
- Weight 10-8
- Trainer J & A O'Neill
- Jockey A P McCoy
chased leader, led on bit after 3 out, ridden and headed soon after 2 out, weakened approaching last
Gotta Get On
137- Form 66/8405-
- Age 5
- Weight 10-5
- Official Rating 77
- Trainer R H Alner
- Jockey T Scudamore
never better than mid-division
- Form 4660-
- Age 6
- Weight 10-5
- Trainer R T Phillips
- Jockey R Johnson
always towards rear, ridden 5th and soon weakened
In depth
Verdict
Forest Green, a winner of his only start over hurdles in France, is bred to handle this faster ground and is taken to make a winning start for Paul Nicholls, getting the vote ahead of Recount and Smokey Mountain. The last mentioned dead-heated with Lysander at Chepstow last month and has to be respected on that evidence but this looks tougher under his penalty. Blue Train is rated in the 80s on the level and could be of interest on his hurdling debut for Jonjo O'Neill, while Ameeq is fit from the flat and showed promise on his hurdling debut back in December. Gary Moore's colt is certainly of interest as is Charlie Mann's Recount, who is closely matched with Smokey Mountain on Chepstow form but Forest Green could be a decent recruit and gets the vote to make a winning British debut.
Formwatch
Smokey Mountain (IRE) 20-1 (10-11) Led 1st, soon headed, stayed prominent, led 4 out, ridden 3 out, pressed close home, joined on line, won at Chepstow 2m mdn hdl (5) gd in Apr deadheating with Lysander (10-11), 16 ran.
Sou'wester 5-1 (10-11) Pulled hard in mid-division, headway to lead 8th, ridden and headed 2 out, no extra, 3rd of 14, 23l behind Penny Park (10-11) at Wincanton 2m 6f hcp hdl 0-110 (4) gd in Apr.
Not For Diamonds (IRE) 12-1 (11-4) Chased leaders, ridden and weakened after 3 out, 9th of 14, 41l behind Bougoure (11-10) at Market Rasen 2m 3f nh nov hdl (3) gd in Feb.
Recount (FR) 14-1 (11-2) Held up mid-division, headway 4 out, ridden to chase leaders 3 out, hung left and every chance last, no extra flat, 3rd of 16, 3/4l behind dhtrs Smokey Mountain (10-11) & Lysander (10-11) at Chepstow 2m mdn hdl (5) gd in Apr.
Xcentra 14-1 (10-7) Chased leader and jumped right 1st, ridden after 3 out, left 3rd 2 out, weakening in 4th when fell at the last in race won by Dreams Jewel (11-0) at Wincanton 2m nov hdl (4) gd in Apr, 10 ran.
Ameeq (USA) 5-1 (11-0) Held up in touch, chased leaders 3 out, weakened before next, 4th of 8, 41l behind Spidam (11-4) at Sandown 2m 3yo nov hdl (D) hvy in Dec.
Blue Train (IRE) 14-1 (9-4) Slowly into stride, always in rear, outpaced halfway, 13th of 14, 31l behind Wavertree Warrior (8-5) at Windsor 1m hcap (4) gd in Apr (Flat).
Forest Green (FR) (10-3) won at Enghien 2m 4yo hdl in Apr beating Supercilious (10-12) by 2l, 14 ran.