Racecards
14:00 Aintree
Matalan Introductory Juvenile Hurdle (Class 4)
- 7 Runners
- Distance: 2m 1f
- Going: Good
- Surface: Turf
- £8,000 added
- Winner: £5,198
- 2nd: £1,526
- 3rd: £763
- 4th: £382
Almadan (IRE)
151- Age 3
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer Ferdy Murphy
- Jockey G Lee
held up in rear, not fluent 1st, mistake and reminders 6th, soon weakened, pulled up before 3 out
- Age 3
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer J D Bethell
- Jockey F Davis
held up in rear, headway after 6th, went 2nd soon after 3 out, led last, driven flat, held on well
- Form 5
- Age 3
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer B Rothwell
- Jockey K Renwick
tracked leader until jumped right 1st, hit next, lost place approaching 4th, behind when mistake 6th, soon pulled up
Indycisive
57- Age 3
- Weight 11-0
tracked leader from 1st, led approaching 3 out, soon headed, weakened 2 out
- Form 6
- Age 3
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer N J Henderson
- Jockey Andrew Tinkler
led, not fluent 3rd, headed approaching 3 out, soon weakened, pulled up before 2 out
Royal Opera
19- Age 3
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer B Ellison
- Jockey Danny Cook
tracked leaders, not fluent 2nd, challenging when bumped 3 out, soon led, mistake 2 out, headed last, kept on, just held
Unex Picasso
15- Form U
- Age 3
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer Ian Williams
- Jockey D C Costello
held up in 5th, not fluent 2nd, pecked slightly 4th, headway after 6th, led approaching 3 out, soon wandered, headed just after hurdle, weakened flat
Verdict
Major Dance didn't show much on the Flat and finished tailed off on his hurdling debut at Chepstow in a race in which Unex Picasso unseated his rider at the first. Alamadan won a minor contest in France in May, however, while Bradbury won twice in handicaps over 1m4f in the summer and was a better horse on the level than Royal Opera. HOLLOW TREE jumped like an old hand at Bangor last month, however, and was a progressive stayer prior to that first run over timber. He looks more than capable of defying the penalty.
Formwatch
Almadan (IRE) (9-2) won at Lyon-Parilly(FR) 1m 3f stk gd in May beating Dynamis (8-11) by 1/2l, 9 ran (flat).
Bradbury (IRE) 16-1 (8-7) Held up mid-division, pushed along over 4f out, soon ridden, weakened over 2f out, 6th of 9, 22l behind Jeu De Vivre (8-12) at Hamilton 1m 5f hcp 0-80 (4) sft in Sep (flat).
Commander Veejay 33-1 (10-12) Held up, mistakes 2nd and 4th, ridden 3 out, went 5th approaching 2 out, no chance, 5th of 8, 36l behind Royal Bonsai (10-12) at Market Rasen 2m 1f 3yo mdn hdl (4) gd in Aug.
Indycisive 9-1 (8-4) Held up in 5th, driven over 4f out, soon lost place, beaten and eased over 1f out, tailed off, last of 7, 34l behind Brook Star (8-11) at Redcar 1m 6f 3yo hcp 0-65 (6) sft in Aug (flat).
Major Dance 9-1 (10-12) Chased leaders, weakened rapidly before 4 out, eased, tailed off, 6th of 8, well behind Jackies Solitaire (10-0) at Chepstow 2m 3yo hdl (4) gd.
Royal Opera 15-2 (9-1) Tracked leaders, raced keenly, every chance over 2f out, weakened over 1f out, 7th of 11, 7l behind Singzak (8-9) at Catterick 1m 4f hcp 0-75 (5) gf (flat).
Unex Picasso 25-1 (10-12) With leaders when mistake and unseated rider 1st, in a race won by Jackies Solitaire (10-0) at Chepstow 2m 3yo hdl (4) gd, 8 ran.
Hollow Tree 4-7fav (10-12) Tracked leader, led 6th, drew readily clear from 2 out, comfortably, won at Bangor 2m 1f 3yo hdl (4) gd in Sep beating Spartan King (10-12) by 14l, 6 ran.