Racecards
14:20 Aintree
Betway Top Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1) (GBB Race) (Class 1)
- 10 Runners
- Distance: 2m 103y
- Going: Good to Soft (Good in places)
- Surface: Turf
- £75,000 added
- Winner: £42,202
- 2nd: £15,900
- 3rd: £7,958
- 4th: £3,975
- Form 3-21111
- Age 6
- Weight 11-4
- Official Rating 140
- Trainer K Bailey & M Nicholls
- Jockey David Bass
chased leader, not fluent 5th, lost 2nd after 4 out, weakened before 2 out
- Form F-112U
- Age 6
- Weight 11-4
- Official Rating 143
- Trainer N P Mulholland
- Jockey Sam Twiston-Davies
chased leaders, weakened after 4 out, pulled up before 3 out
- Form 125621
- Age 6
- Weight 11-4
- Official Rating 135
- Trainer Peter Fahey
- Jockey K C Sexton
held up towards rear, headway 3 out, challenged going well 2 from 2 out, led before last, ridden out
- Form 13
- Age 6
- Weight 11-4
- Official Rating 122
- Trainer L Wadham
- Jockey Bryony Frost
towards rear, not fluent 2nd, last and well behind 5th, mistake 3 out, pulled up before 2 out
- Form 2-11242
- Age 7
- Weight 11-4
- Official Rating 136
- Trainer M Scudamore
- Jockey Brendan Powell
held up in mid-division, headway 5th, not fluent 3 out, went 2nd from last, kept on, held towards finish
- Form 1
- Age 6
- Weight 11-4
- Trainer N J Henderson
- Jockey N de Boinville
chased leaders, not fluent 4th, went 2nd after 4 out, led 2 out, headed and not fluent last, 3rd and held flat, edged left and kept on
- Form 114103
- Age 6
- Weight 11-4
- Official Rating 144
- Trainer A M Hales
- Jockey Harry Bannister
led until 2 out, no extra in 5th before last
- Form 112146
- Age 6
- Weight 11-4
- Official Rating 144
- Trainer D Skelton
- Jockey Harry Skelton
mid-division on inside, headway 5th, close 4th when mistake last, no extra flat
- Form 225-4D1
- Age 6
- Weight 11-4
- Trainer F O'Brien
- Jockey P J Brennan
held up in last and behind, not fluent 1st, closed after 4 out, no impression and well beaten 3 out
- Form 123134
- Age 4
- Weight 10-12
- Official Rating 130
- Trainer P F Nicholls
- Jockey H Cobden
held up towards rear, not fluent 3rd, mistake and unseated rider next
In depth
Verdict
For Pleasure will ensure there is no hanging about here if he consents to jump off. He led the Supreme Novices’ field a merry dance last month and kept on to finish third but his rivals here will be wise to his tactics. Do Your Job has solid novice form but was no match for My Drogo at Kelso last time in a race in which Any News unseated his rider when in touch. THIRD TIME LUCKI was beaten by For Pleasure in a Grade 2 at Cheltenham in November but allowed the winner to steal a big advantage and couldn’t peg him back. He was three lengths behind surprise winner Belfast Banter in the County Hurdle but should reverse that form on 14lb better terms. Ajero has been very progressive and deserves a crack at this higher grade while the four-year-old Houx Gris came out of the Boodles Fred Winter with a similar rating to that of winner Jeff Kidder, who won a Grade 2 at Fairyhouse on Monday. Dusart beat the subsequent Betfair Hurdle winner Soaring Glory on his racecourse debut and any improvement on that would put him bang in the firing-line.
Formwatch
Ajero (IRE) 4-7fav (11-2) Chased leader, travelled well into lead 2 out, ridden clear after last, easily, won at Huntingdon 2m hcp (3) gs in Mar beating Haafapiece (11-0) by 8 1/2l, 4 ran.
Any News (IRE) 3-1 (11-2) Tracked leader, not fluent and unseated rider 4 out, at Kelso 2m 2f (1) gs in Mar.
Belfast Banter (IRE) 33-1 (10-0) Held up in mid-division, not clear run and lost ground after 3 out, headway final bend, 3rd last, led flat, stayed on well, clear towards finish, won at Cheltenham 2m 1f hcp (1) gs in Mar beating Petit Mouchoir (11-12) by 1 1/4l, 25 ran.
Bombyx 9-4 (11-6) Mid-division, headway after 4 out, ridden and led before 2 out, headed after 2 out, kept on one pace, 3rd of 9, 10 1/4l behind Lord Baddesley (11-6) at Newbury 2m (4) gs in Mar.
Do Your Job (IRE) 10-1 (11-2) Tracked leader, pressed leader travelling strongly before 2 out, disputed lead and not fluent 2 out, ridden and headed after 2 out, clear second after the last but no match for the winner, 2nd of 7, 9 1/2l behind My Drogo (11-7) at Kelso 2m 2f (1) gs in Mar.
Dusart (IRE) 7-4 (10-12) Tracked leaders, 3rd going well before 3 out, led 2 out, shaken up and stayed on well run-in, won at Newbury 2m (4) gd in Nov beating Soaring Glory (11-4) by 2 1/2l, 12 ran.
For Pleasure (IRE) 40-1 (11-7) Led, clear after 1st until after 2nd, pressed 3 out, headed next, soon outpaced by winner and lost 2nd, left disputing 2nd briefly last, kept on, 3rd of 8, 26 1/4l behind Appreciate It (11-7) at Cheltenham 2m (1) sft in Mar.
Third Time Lucki (IRE) 8-1 (11-0) Held up in mid-division, good headway 3 out, challenged after 2 out, soon led, edged right and headed approaching last, led again briefly flat, no extra towards finish, 6th of 25, 3l behind Belfast Banter (10-0) at Cheltenham 2m 1f hcp (1) gs in Mar.
Timberman (IRE) Evensjfav (11-2) Chased leaders, raced freely, went 2nd after 5th, mistake 3 out, not fluent 2 out, edged left and led flat, stayed on well, won at Doncaster 2m 1f (4) gd in Mar beating Gylo (11-2) by 2 3/4l, 9 ran.
Houx Gris (FR) 11-2 (10-11) Raced keenly chasing leaders, every chance last, ridden and stayed on same pace run-in, 4th of 22, 3 3/4l behind Jeff Kidder (10-8) at Cheltenham 2m hcp (1) gs in Mar.