Racecards
14:35 Ascot
Sport Relief/GBR Billion Steps Challenge Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (Class 2)
- 9 Runners
- Distance: 1m 7f 152y
- Going: Soft
- Surface: Turf
- £40,000 added
- Winner: £25,024
- 2nd: £7,392
- 3rd: £3,696
- 4th: £1,848
- Form 2-12122
- Age 4
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 134
- Trainer P F Nicholls
- Jockey Sam Twiston-Davies
tracked leader who soon went clear, closed going well after 3 out, upsides next, led before last, shaken up and came clear run-in
- Form P31122
- Age 4
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 134
- Trainer A King
- Jockey Wayne Hutchinson
held up off the pace in last pair, headway and keeping on disputing 5th when blundered 2 out, no chance after
- Form 313417
- Age 4
- Weight 11-7
- Official Rating 129
- Trainer G & J Moore
- Jockey Joshua Moore
led and soon clear, steadied pace briefly after 2nd, went clear again 4 out, reduced lead after next, joined 2 out, ridden and headed before the last, no chance with winner, held on for 2nd
- Form 2123F
- Age 4
- Weight 11-5
- Official Rating 127
- Trainer J & A O'Neill
- Jockey Aidan Coleman
held up off the pace in last trio, pushed along after 3 out, headway on outside before next, hanging right in 4th when blundered and weakened last
- Form 22415
- Age 4
- Weight 11-3
- Official Rating 125
- Trainer N A Twiston-Davies
- Jockey Thomas Bellamy
went left 1st, chased clear leading pair, pushed along after 3 out, lost 3rd and hit 2 out, weakened between last 2
- Form 415
- Age 4
- Weight 10-13
- Official Rating 121
- Trainer D Skelton
- Jockey Bridget Andrews
took keen hold, prominent in chasing group, headway into 3rd 2 out, ridden and kept on run-in, closed on 2nd but no chance with winner
- Form 5321
- Age 4
- Weight 10-11
- Official Rating 119
- Trainer P A Kirby
- Jockey Thomas Dowson
prominent in chasing group, outpaced after 3 out, no chance after
- Form 432222
- Age 4
- Weight 10-7
- Official Rating 115
- Trainer C Gordon
- Jockey Tom Cannon
held up well off the pace in rear, headway and switched left between last 2, went 4th at the last, kept on run-in, nearest finish
- Form 3575
- Age 4
- Weight 10-0
- Official Rating 105
- Trainer C Gordon
- Jockey Harry Reed
prominent in chasing group, pushed along and weakened after 4 out, tailed off and hung right from 2 out
Previous results
In depth
Verdict
Carrying a big weight has proved no barrier to success in this in the past and the fillies MALAYA and City Dreamer have both held their own in decent company this season. Paul Nicholls trained the winner in 2016 and his charge beat City Dreamer four lengths at Wetherby in November, though the latter is now 5lb better off. However, we’ll take Sam Twiston-Davies’ mount to confirm the form. Turning Gold finished an honourable fifth in the Fred Winter at Cheltenham, with Eragon De Chanay just behind, and is 2lb lower so has to go on the short-list but Knight Destroyer suffered a heavy fall in that race and hasn’t had much time to recover. Catterick winner Shine Baby Shine is held by Turning Gold on the form book and Comrade Conrad was well beaten of this mark at Taunton.
Formwatch
Malaya (FR) 4-1 (10-10) Tracked clear pair, close up 4 out, led narrowly before 2 out, headed soon after, ridden and readily outpaced by winner before last, no chance in clear 2nd after, 2nd of 7, 7l behind Redicean (11-1) at Kempton 2m (1) gd in Feb.
City Dreamer (IRE) 6-4fav (8-12) Tracked leaders, driven over 2f out, soon chased winner, ridden and kept on under pressure final furlong, no impression, 2nd of 8, 2l behind Author's Dream (9-12) at Lingfield 2m hcp (5) pol in Feb.
Eragon De Chanay (FR) 8-1 (10-11) Mid-division, headway 5th, ridden and hanging right when outpaced after next, no impression on leaders before kept on from before last, 7th of 22, 13l behind Veneer Of Charm (11-0) at Cheltenham 2m hcp (1) sft in Mar.
Knight Destroyer (IRE) 20-1 (10-12) Raced keenly, prominent, led 2nd, fell next, at Cheltenham 2m hcp (1) sft in Mar.
Turning Gold 20-1 (10-12) Tracked leaders, challenged after 3 out, every chance 2 out, beaten last, lost 4th and faded flat, 5th of 22, 10 3/4l behind Veneer Of Charm (11-0) at Cheltenham 2m hcp (1) sft in Mar.
Comrade Conrad (IRE) 13-2 (10-2) Behind, headway 3 out, never on terms, 5th of 7, 11 1/2l behind Unison (11-12) at Taunton 2m hcp (3) sft in Feb.
Shine Baby Shine 6-1 (10-4) Mid-division, headway 4th, ridden on last bend, challenged 2 out, led going better than rest before last, clear flat, comfortably, won at Catterick 2m (4) sft in Mar beating Kaloci (11-4) by 4l, 10 ran.
Jumping Jack (IRE) 8-1 (10-4) Held up in rear, headway on inside 3 out, soon 2nd, no impression on winner before 2 out but well clear of rest, 2nd of 7, 16l behind Not Never (10-11) at Plumpton 2m hcp (3) gd in Feb.
Ladofash 12-1 (10-3) Chased leaders, 2nd before 4th, challenged and hit 3 out, led soon after, headed and weakened rapidly before next, tailed off, 5th of 6, 35l behind Graasten (11-12) at Plumpton 2m 5f hcp (4) hvy in Feb.