Racecards
16:20 Brighton
Champions League In-Play At BetVictor.com Handicap (Class 6)
- 8 Runners
- Distance: 1m 3f 196y
- Going: Good to Firm, Firm in places
- Surface: Turf
- £2,500 added
- Winner: £1,617
- 2nd: £481
- 3rd: £240
- 4th: £120
- Form 48-0221
- Age 7
- Weight 9-12
- Official Rating 60
- Trainer M H Tompkins
- Jockey Jim Crowley
chased leaders, driven and one pace over 1f out, well held in 4th when edged left final furlong
- Form 470-176
- Age 8
- Weight 9-10
- Official Rating 58
- Trainer B Curley
- Jockey T P Queally
last trio, dropped to rear 5f out, never a factor, tailed off
- Form 903166
- Age 6
- Weight 9-5
- Official Rating 53
- Trainer J W Mullins
- Jockey Richard Hughes
held up in rear, some headway 3f out, weakened 2f out, soon veered left, eased final furlong
Blue Dune
14- Form 97706
- Age 3
- Weight 8-12
- Official Rating 54
- Trainer C & M Johnston
- Jockey N Callan
chased leaders, led over 3f out, ridden and headed briefly over 2f out, ridden and headed over 1f out, stayed on same pace final furlong
- Form 895642
- Age 3
- Weight 8-11
- Official Rating 53
- Trainer A M Balding
- Jockey Daniel Muscutt
tracked leaders in close 5th, went 2nd going well 3f out, led briefly over 2f out, soon hung left and rider dropped reins, one pace in 3rd over 1f out
- Form 039164
- Age 3
- Weight 8-9
- Official Rating 51
- Trainer Sir Mark Prescott
- Jockey L Morris
steadied start, took keen hold and soon tracked leaders, not much room 3f out, rallied on inside under pressure 2f out, driven to lead over 1f out, stayed on strongly and came clear inside final furlng
Fight (IRE)
45- Form 6-80860
- Age 3
- Weight 8-8
- Official Rating 50
- Trainer J R Best
- Jockey Hayley Turner
took keen hold, held up in last pair, pushed along briefly 5f out, never a factor, tailed off
- Form 0-70860
- Age 3
- Weight 8-4
- Official Rating 45
- Trainer P D Evans
- Jockey Catherine Gannon
led until over 3f out, soon beaten, tailed off
Verdict
LOCUM beat higher-rated rivals than he faces here in a seller at Wolverhampton last month. Mark Tompkins' charge can follow up with a similar effort. Sommersturm is 10lb higher than when scoring on the Polytrack back in January and Chapter Nine is on an 8lb higher mark than when winning at Bath last month. Sweet Liberta posted a better effort at Kempton last time and should be thereabouts, however, and Blue Dune may finish closer as her breeding suggests she'll appreciate today's step up in distance.
Formwatch
Locum 11-4fav (9-7) Tracked leaders, went 2nd well over 1f out, stayed on under pressure to lead well inside final furlong, won at Wolverhampton 1m 4f sell stks (6) pol in Aug beating Goldmadchen (9-2) by 1l, 7 ran.
Sommersturm (GER) 25-1 (9-2) Tracked leader, weakened quickly over 5f out, tailed off over 3f out, last of 6, well behind Stock Hill Fair (9-7) at Yarmouth 1m 6f hcp 0-70 (5) sft in Jul.
Chapter Nine (IRE) 8-1 (9-4) Reared start, held up in rear, moderate late headway, never on terms, 6th of 11, 9l behind Neige D'antan (8-11) at Kempton 1m 2f stks 0-55 (6) pol.
Blue Dune 9-1 (8-6) Led until 5f out, chased winner until over 2f out, soon ridden, chased leading pair until inside final furlong, soon weakened, 6th of 9, 3l behind The Happy Hammer (9-5) at Wolverhampton 7f hcp 0-70 (5) pol.
Sweet Liberta (IRE) 9-2 (8-3) Took keen hold, chased leaders, went 2nd going well 2f out, ridden over 1f out, stayed on same pace final furlong, 2nd of 13, 1l behind Choral Bee (8-7) at Kempton 1m 3f hcp (6) pol.
Critical Point 10-3 (8-13) Mid-division, pushed along in 4th place over 4f out, ridden and edged left over 2f out, kept on same pace, 4th of 12, 20l behind Panettone (9-4) at Brighton 1m 4f 3yo hcp 0-60 (6) gf.
Fight (IRE) 20-1 (9-1) Behind most of way, 11th of 13, 18l behind Authoritarian (9-5) at Bath 1m 3yo hcp 0-60 (6) gd in Aug.
Choisirez (IRE) 20-1 (8-4) In touch, pushed along when not much room 5f out, soon lost place and behind, eased over 1f out, 15th of 16, 33l behind Toga Tiger (9-9) at Brighton 1m hcp 0-55 (6) gd in Jun.