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14:00 Aintree

Matalan Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 1) (Class 1)

  • 10 Runners
  • Distance: 2m 110y
  • Going: Good, Good to Soft in places
  • Surface: Turf
  • £100,000 added
  • Winner: £56,270
  • 2nd: £21,200
  • 3rd: £10,610
  • 4th: £5,300
Weighed In
  • Winning Time: 4m 6.60s
  • Off Time: 14:00:36
  • 10 Ran
1
Silk - Yellow, red and yellow check sleeves
50/1
  • Form 511
  • Age 4
  • Weight 11-0
  • Official Rating 120

held up in rear, blundered 4 out, soon pushed along and weakened

2
Silk - Dark Blue, Yellow diamond and sleeves, Yellow cap, Red diamond
5/1
  • Form 1251
  • Age 4
  • Weight 11-0
  • Official Rating 141

held up towards rear, headway 3 out, ridden and took 4th before last, kept on same pace

3
Silk - White, Royal Blue cross belts, Royal Blue and White striped sleeves
33/1
  • Form 1
  • Age 4
  • Weight 11-0

tracked leaders in 3rd, reminder before 4 out, soon lost place, tailed off 3 out, pulled up before last

4
Silk - Royal blue, pink hoops, armlets and cap
3/1
  • Form 1121
  • Age 4
  • Weight 11-0
  • Official Rating 144

led, pressed 2 out, soon ridden and headed before last, no extra and lost 2nd place run-in

5
Silk - White, black cap
5/2
  • Form 116
  • Age 4
  • Weight 11-0
  • Official Rating 146

prominent in 5th, went 2nd after 4 out, ridden before last, soon weakened

6
Silk - Black, black and maroon striped cap

Ruacana

22 D
10/1
  • Form 1137
  • Age 4
  • Weight 11-0
  • Official Rating 139

towards rear, mid-division 4 out, ridden before 2 out, weakened last

7
Silk - Emerald Green, Red chevrons, quartered cap
  • Form 19211
  • Age 4
  • Weight 11-0
  • Official Rating 135

held up towards rear, in rear from 4th, headway after 2 out, went 2nd run-in, kept on and held by winner

8
Silk - Emerald Green, Dark Green sleeves, Dark Green and Emerald Green quartered cap
  • Form 112325
  • Age 4
  • Weight 11-0
  • Official Rating 140

mid-division, headway before 3 out to go 4th, weakened before 2 out

9
Silk - Emerald green and royal blue (quartered), white and emerald green striped sleeves
80/1
  • Form 5220
  • Age 4
  • Weight 11-0
  • Official Rating 127

with leader, weakened after 4 out

10
Silk - Red, white hoops and armlets, hooped cap

L'unique (FR)

40 DCD
10/1
  • Form 4113
  • Age 4
  • Weight 10-7
  • Official Rating 135

tracked leaders, went 3rd after 4 out, challenged 2 out, led before last, kept on well

Previous results

In depth

Verdict

Flaxen Flare made mincemeat of the opposition in the Fred Winter at Cheltenham when fitted with a pair of blinkers. It's no surprise that the headgear is left on again here and Gordon Elliott's runner should confirm that running with Ruacana and Zamdy Man. The race was run in a much quicker time that the Triumph Hurdle in which ROLLING STAR finished sixth, a length behind fifth Vasco Du Ronceray. But not much went right for Nicky Henderson's charge that day and he is better judged on his defeat of Irish Saint at Cheltenham - he can get back to winning ways today. The latter went on to beat Vasco Du Ronceray and L'Unique in a Grade 1 at Kempton and should be thereabouts again but this is a big step up for Bob's World, Runswick Royal and the once-raced Hefner.

Formwatch

Bob's World 6-4fav (10-13) Held up towards rear, headway before 3 out, went 2nd soon after, led 2 out, kep ton well from last, won at Sedgefield 2m 1f nh nov hdl (4) hvy in Mar beating Travis County (10-7) by 2 1/2l, 9 ran.

Flaxen Flare (IRE) 25-1 (10-7) Mid-division, headway going well 5th, led after 2 out, ridden clear flat, ran on well, comfortably, won at Cheltenham 2m Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3) (4yo) (1) gs in Mar beating Caid Du Berlais (10-12) by 4 1/2l, 24 ran.

Hefner (IRE) 7-1 (10-7) Held up in mid-division, not fluent 5th, headway approaching 3 out, challenged last, driven flat, led towards finish, won at Huntingdon 2m mdn hdl (4) gd in Mar beating Looking On (11-1) by nk, 15 ran.

Irish Saint (FR) 5-4fav (11-5) Raced wide, held up in touch, pushed along and outpaced in 5th before 2 out, stayed on to chase leader between last 2, challenged last, led narrowly final 150 yards, driven to assert final 50 yards, won at Kempton 2m 4yo hdl Grade 2 (1) gd in Feb beating Vasco Du Ronceray (11-2) by 1/2l, 7 ran.

Rolling Star (FR) 5-2fav (11-0) Tracked leaders, outpaced in 3rd after 2 out, ridden before last, no extra and lost place flat, 6th of 17, 23l behind Our Conor (11-0) at Cheltenham 2m 1f 4yo hdl Grade 1 (1) gs in Mar.

Ruacana 14-1 (11-2) Tracked leaders, not fluent 5th, ridden after 3 out, hung left approaching last, no extra flat, 7th of 24, 19l behind Flaxen Flare (10-7) at Cheltenham 2m Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3) (4yo) (1) gs in Mar.

Runswick Royal (IRE) 3-1 (10-13) Towards rear, headway before 4 out, led before 2 out, clear before last, kept on well, won at Newcastle 2m nov hdl (4) sft in Mar beating Matthew Riley (11-1) by 1 3/4l, 14 ran.

Vasco Du Ronceray (FR) 20-1 (11-0) Held up towards rear, headway 2 out, ridden to chase leaders approaching last, kept on same pace, never on terms, 5th of 17, 22l behind Our Conor (11-0) at Cheltenham 2m 1f 4yo hdl Grade 1 (1) gs in Mar.

Zamdy Man 20-1 (10-8) In touch, ridden after 3 out, weakening when not fluent last, 12th of 24, 28l behind Flaxen Flare (10-7) at Cheltenham 2m Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3) (4yo) (1) gs in Mar.

L'unique (FR) 4-1 (10-12) Stumbled 1st, tracked leaders, led narrowly 3rd, pushed along and headed approaching 2 out, soon outpaced, rallied to 3rd flat, no chance with leading duo, 3rd of 7, 9l behind Irish Saint (11-5) at Kempton 2m 4yo hdl Grade 2 (1) gd in Feb.