Racecards
13:45 Aintree
John Smith's Mersey Novices' Hurdle (grade 2) (Class 1)
- 17 Runners
- Distance: 2m 4f
- Going: Good to Soft, Good in places
- Surface: Turf
- £60,000 added
- Form 113-115
- Age 5
- Weight 11-8
- Official Rating 151
- Trainer J M Jefferson
- Jockey P Kinsella
prominent, led 8th, soon headed, led 3 out, headed 2 out, {} weakened approaching last
- Form 1-1210
- Age 5
- Weight 11-5
- Official Rating 139
- Trainer Andrew Turnell
- Jockey M D Grant
mid-division, pushed along after 5th, headway approaching 7th, well there 3 out, weakened 2 out
- Form 15-3124
- Age 7
- Weight 11-3
- Official Rating 141
- Trainer P Hobbs & J White
- Jockey R Johnson
in touch, challenged 3 out, ridden when not fluent last, led flat, headed near finish
Trenchant
22- Form 1215
- Age 4
- Weight 11-1
- Official Rating 143
- Trainer A King
- Jockey Wayne Hutchinson
mid-division, headway approaching 6th, close up 2 out, soon hung left, stayed on same pace flat
Ainama (IRE)
25- Form 128
- Age 5
- Weight 11-0
- Official Rating 138
- Trainer N J Henderson
- Jockey A P McCoy
held up in rear, mistake 8th, headway approaching 3 out, challenged 2 out, led when hit last, headed flat, not much room on inside and switched right 100 yards out, unable to quicken
Borderhopper
14- Form 308P
- Age 5
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer Paul Murphy
- Jockey M O'connell
not fluent, always in rear, tailed off after 5th, pulled up before 3 out
- Form 21-432
- Age 7
- Weight 11-0
- Official Rating 133
- Trainer P F Nicholls
- Jockey Ruby Walsh
held up towards rear, headway approaching 3 out, soon weakened, tailed off
- Form 212530
- Age 6
- Weight 11-0
- Official Rating 134
- Trainer J Howard Johnson
- Jockey D F O'Regan
raced keenly, soon tracking leader, led 5th, headed 8th, soon led again, headed 3 out, disputing 6th and beaten when eased and pulled up before 2 out
- Form 754
- Age 5
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer C E Longsdon
- Jockey T Scudamore
mid- division, weakened approaching 7th, tailed off and pulled up before 3 out
- Form 325111
- Age 5
- Weight 11-0
- Official Rating 132
- Trainer G A Swinbank
- Jockey F Keniry
mid-division, not fluent 5th, weakened approaching 8th, tailed off and pulled up before 2 out
- Form 6771
- Age 5
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer C E Longsdon
- Jockey T Siddall
held up, always in rear, no chance after 8th, tailed off
- Form 4-1P413
- Age 7
- Weight 11-0
- Official Rating 127
- Trainer D McCain Jnr
- Jockey J M Maguire
led to 5th, mistake next, weakened after 8th, tailed off and pulled up before 3 out
- Form 112116
- Age 7
- Weight 10-10
- Official Rating 130
- Trainer G A Swinbank
- Jockey B S Hughes
tracked leaders, raced keenly, pushed along after 8th, weakened 3 out, tailed off
- Form 314540
- Age 4
- Weight 10-10
- Official Rating 105
- Trainer Paul Murphy
- Jockey K Whelan
always in rear, tailed off from before 8th
Saticon
24- Form 183423
- Age 4
- Weight 10-10
- Official Rating 141
- Trainer A King
- Jockey R Thornton
towards rear, never really travelling, lost touch before 8th, tailed off and pulled up before 3 out
Bouggler
35- Form 1
- Age 4
- Weight 10-7
- Trainer Miss E C Lavelle
- Jockey N D Fehily
always prominent, took narrow lead 2 out, headed when not fluent last, remained challenging, stayed on under pressure to regain lead near finish
- Form 113
- Age 4
- Weight 10-7
- Official Rating 124
raced keenly, mid- division, hit 3rd, weakened after 7th, tailed off and pulled up before 3 out
Previous results
In depth
Verdict
A return to a flat track will suit AINAMA who is narrowly preferred to Cape Tribulation and Copper Bleu. Although the longer trip is a question mark for Ainama, he did stay two miles on the flat and so he should get the trip. His best runs have come on quick ground on a flat track and he has the tactical speed to travel in this big field and then a turn of foot to get him clear. Copper Bleu ran a tremendous race to finish ahead of Ainama in the Supreme Novices' and this progressive gelding can round of his season with a good performance, whilst Bouggler was not as good as some of these on the flat but made a good start to his hurdling career and gets plenty of weight. Sir Tantallus Hawk is unbeaten over timber and whilst this is a step up in grade he is not to be ignored at a track his trainer loves to win at, so his stablemate Little Lu is another for consideration. Cape Tribulation drops in trip having finished fifth in the Albert Bartlett, Trenchant excelled at Cheltenham with a Triumph hurdle fifth, whilst a similar story applies to the strong-staying Saticon who ran on well up the hill to take third in the Fred Winter. Plenty of Cheltenham form to weigh up here which makes the puzzle trickier but it is Ainama who can fulfil his potential.
Formwatch
Cape Tribulation 4-1 (11-7) Tracked leaders, went 2nd approaching 2 out, challenging before last, soon slightly checked, weakened flat, 5th of 17, 11l behind Weapon's Amnesty (11-7) at Cheltenham 3m nov hdl G1 (1) gs in Mar.
Micheal Flips (IRE) 9-1 (11-7) Mid-division, ridden after 3 out, soon one pace, 10th of 20, 17l behind Go Native (11-7) at Cheltenham 2m nov hdl G1 (1) gs in Mar.
Copper Bleu (IRE) 14-1 (11-7) In touch, challenged after 3 out, ridden and every chance after next, kept on but no extra from last, lost 3rd final strides, 4th of 20, 3 1/2l behind Go Native (11-7) at Cheltenham 2m nov hdl G1 (1) gs in Mar.
Trenchant 28-1 (11-0) Mid-division, pushed along after 3 out, stayed on approaching last, never going pace to troubled leaders, 5th of 18, 10l behind Zaynar (11-0) at Cheltenham 2m 1f 4yo nov hdl G1 (1) gs in Mar.
Ainama (IRE) 14-1 (11-7) Chased clear leader, led and hit 5th, headed 2 out, soon ridden, weakening when hit last, 8th of 20, 15l behind Go Native (11-7) at Cheltenham 2m nov hdl G1 (1) gs in Mar.
Borderhopper 11-1 (11-1) Chased leader, ridden 8th, tailed off and pulled up 4 out, in a race won by Danny Zuko (10-10) at Haydock 2m 4f nh nov hdl (4) gd in Mar, 5 ran.
Conflictofinterest Evens0fav (11-0) Tracked leading pair, hampered 3rd, went 2nd soon after 3 out, led just before 2 out, headed soon after last, rallied flat, just failed, 2nd of 7, ns behind Nothing's Easy (11-0) at Kempton 2m nov hdl (4) gd in Mar.
Door Boy (IRE) 33-1 (10-3) Mid division, ridden after 3 out, weakened after next, hampered last, 18th of 27, well behind Ninetieth Minute (10-3) at Cheltenham 2m 5f hcp hdl G3 (1) gs in Mar.
Marwan (IRE) 16-1 (11-2) Held up towards rear, headway 6th to track leaders, ridden approaching 2 out, soon weakened, 4th of 12, 28l behind Another Display (11-2) at Taunton 2m 3f nh nov hdl (4) sft in Mar.
Sir Tantallus Hawk 4-6fav (11-8) In touch, went 2nd 4 out, led 2 out, ridden clear flat, comfortably, won at Newcastle 2m nh nov hdl (4) gd in Mar beating Apartman (10-7) by 7l, 11 ran.
Trafalgar Road (IRE) 28-1 (11-1) In rear, headway 3 out, hit last, stayed on to lead near finish, won at Market Rasen 2m 1f nov hdl (4) sft in Mar beating Springfield Raki (10-12) by 3/4l, 8 ran.
What A Buzz 16-1 (10-13) Hit 1st, led soon after, hit 5th, strongly pressed and blundered 2 out, hit last and soon headed, stayed on same pace, 3rd of 18, 3l behind Big Eared Fran (11-6) at Sandown 2m 4f Grade 3 nov hcp hdl (1) gd in Mar.
Little Lu (IRE) 4-1 (11-0) Tracked leaders, ridden approaching 3 out, 5th and weakening when blunderd 2 out, 6th of 11, 24l behind Sporazene (11-4) at Bangor 2m 1f hcp hdl 0-145 (2) gf in Aug.
Maidstone Mixture (FR) 250-1 (11-0) Not fluent 2nd, always in rear, tailed off 3 out, 15th of 18, well behind Zaynar (11-0) at Cheltenham 2m 1f 4yo nov hdl G1 (1) gs in Mar.
Saticon 20-1 (11-1) Mid-division, headway approaching 3 out, hanging left when hit last, ran on flat, 3rd of 22, 4l behind Silk Affair (10-4) at Cheltenham 2m Grade 3 nov hcp hdl (4yo) (1) gs in Mar.
Bouggler 11-2 (10-4) With leader, hit 2nd, led 5th, not fluent next, headed after 3 out, regained lead before next, soon clear, hit last comfortably, won at Kempton 2m 5f nh nov hdl (4) gd in Feb beating The Shoe (11-6) by 24l, 4 ran.
West With The Wind 9-4 (11-8) Led, ridden approaching 3 out, headed next, weakening when hit last, 3rd of 6, 7l behind Giorgio Quercus (11-8) at Musselburgh 2m 4yo nov hdl (2) gd in Feb.