Racecards
13:35 Carlisle
Esk Handicap Chase (Div 2) (Class 5)
- 9 Runners
- Distance: 3m 110y
- Going: Soft (Good to Soft in places)
- Surface: Turf
- £7,000 added
- Winner: £3,050
- 2nd: £1,405
- 3rd: £702
- 4th: £352
- Form 324-615
- Age 6
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 105
- Trainer T D Easterby
- Jockey Mr William Easterby
raced wide prominent, ridden 4 out, stayed on to go 3rd towards finish
- Form 1PP-742
- Age 8
- Weight 11-10
- Official Rating 103
- Trainer N G Richards
- Jockey Sean Quinlan
in touch, headway to go close up, 6th, led 2 out, ridden and ran on
- Form 5-3FP06
- Age 9
- Weight 11-3
- Official Rating 96
- Trainer L Morgan
- Jockey Adam Wedge
led, hampered and headed 6th, tracked leader, ridden 3 out, weakened next
- Form 369B8F
- Age 12
- Weight 10-13
- Official Rating 92
- Trainer F P Murtagh
- Jockey Thomas Willmott
close up, lost place 6th, struggling 9th, pulled up before next
- Form 3314-UP
- Age 13
- Weight 10-5
- Official Rating 84
- Trainer Mrs J Walton
- Jockey Danny McMenamin
in touch, weakened 11th, behind when pulled up approaching 13th
- Form P28645
- Age 13
- Weight 10-5
- Official Rating 84
prominent, led 6th, ridden and headed 2 out, faded run in and lost 2 places
- Form 26/3950
- Age 9
- Weight 10-0
- Official Rating 77
- Trainer S England
- Jockey Lewis Stones
towards rear, ridden and headway 3 out, stayed on to go 2nd towards finish
- Form 196/7-0F
- Age 9
- Weight 10-0
- Official Rating 74
- Trainer A M Thomson
- Jockey Edward Austin
raced wide close up, weakened 5 out, behind when pulled up approaching 2 out
Black Opium
43- Form 476/74F
- Age 8
- Weight 10-0
- Official Rating 70
- Trainer Miss T Jackson
- Jockey S Mulqueen
in rear, pushed along 12th, never on terms
In depth
Verdict
The weaker of the two divisions. Veteran HIGH COUNSEL hinted at a revival at Warwick last month and is still capable of going close in a race like this so gets a narrow vote ahead of Space Safari, who was still travelling when falling at Hexham on his chasing bow having attracted market support. He is 5lb out of the handicap, however, while both Morozov Cocktail, who won at Wetherby on Boxing Day, and Newcastle runner-up Houston Texas have big weights to carry.
Formwatch
Morozov Cocktail (IRE) 6-4fav (11-2) Prominent, lost place 6th, midfield 10th, ridden after 15th, just in touch when blundered 2 out, no extra, 5th of 8, 16 1/4l behind Ballyrath (11-11) at Wetherby 3m hcp (4) sft in Jan.
Houston Texas (IRE) 9-2 (11-0) Prominent, led briefly 12th, led again 4 out, soon ridden, joined next, headed 2 out, kept on from last, 2nd of 4, 2l behind Bavington Bob (11-12) at Newcastle 2m 7f hcp (4) gd in Dec.
Seemingly So (IRE) 66-1 (11-11) Held up towards rear, awkward 6th, ridden before 3 out, well beaten 2 out, 6th of 14, dist behind Barrakhov (11-4) at Southwell 2m 4f hcp (5) gs in Jan.
Nakadam (FR) 28-1 (11-6) Led, joined before 5th, soon led again, fell 10th (usual 5 out), at Kelso 2m 7f hcp (5) gs in Jan.
Westend Theatre (IRE) 22-1 (10-3) Mid-division, slow 1st, slow and lost place 3rd, headway on outside before 13th, weakened after next, well beaten before 4 out, soon pulled up, at Cartmel 3m 1f hcp (4) gd in May.
High Counsel (IRE) 22-1 (10-0) Held up towards rear, some headway on outside 9th, no impression, well beaten from 14th, plugged on flat, 5th of 11, 17 1/4l behind Smuggler's Blues (11-7) at Warwick 3m 1f hcp (4) gs in Jan.
Magic Of Milan (IRE) 16-1 (10-6) Held up towards rear, behind 4 out, tailed off, 10th of 11, dist behind Manintheshadows (11-5) at Doncaster 3m hcp (5) gs in Jan.
Space Safari (FR) 8-1 (10-0) Chased leader, still going well when fell 3 out, at Hexham 3m hcp (5) hvy in Dec.
Black Opium 66-1 (10-0) Prominent, dropped to midfield 2nd, not fluent 3rd, towards rear 11th, in rear when fall 15th, at Wetherby 3m hcp (5) sft in Dec.