Racecards
14:20 Exeter
EBF/TBA Mares' Novices' Chase (Class 3)
- 6 Runners
- Distance: 2m 3f 48y
- Going: Heavy
- Surface: Turf
- £10,000 added
- Winner: £6,498
- 2nd: £1,908
- 3rd: £954
- 4th: £477
- Form 111P-21
- Age 5
- Weight 11-6
- Official Rating 130
- Trainer A J Honeyball
- Jockey Aidan Coleman
prominent, mistake 4th, hampered 10th, under pressure 5 out, stayed on approaching 2 out, no extra closing stages
- Form 112131-
- Age 7
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer H Fry
- Jockey N D Fehily
made all, 10 lengths clear before 4 out, shaken up when idled approaching 2nd last, comfortably
- Form 1267-17
- Age 7
- Weight 11-0
- Official Rating 134
- Trainer Evan Williams
- Jockey Adam Wedge
chased leaders, weakened before 3 out
- Form 2312-62
- Age 5
- Weight 11-0
- Official Rating 118
- Trainer Nick Williams
- Jockey L P Aspell
chased leaders, pushed along 9th, jumped right next, weakened next, blundered 4 out, soon pulled up
Red Penny (IRE)
260- Form 982324-
- Age 8
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer J D Frost
- Jockey Bryony Frost
in touch, weakened 5 out, behind when pulled up before 4 out
In depth
Verdict
Cresswell Breeze was second on her chasing bow at Fontwell and went one better on heavy ground at Wincanton. She should continue on an upward curve but has to give 6lb here to a couple of potentially useful novices. BITOFAPUZZLE (NAP) won a Grade 1 mares' race at Fairyhouse in April over hurdles and finished 15 lengths ahead of Dark Spirit when a close-up third in the OLBG Mares' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March. She'll have been well schooled and her stable is firing on all cylinders so she should be tough to beat. Dark Spirit is no slouch and is worth following while Dolores Delightful holds Red Penny on hurdles form though, like Kayfleur, would need to improve markedly for the switch to fences to figure.
Formwatch
Cresswell Breeze 2-1 (11-0) Tracked leader, led 4th, went left and hit 11th, clear before 12th, easily, won at Wincanton 2m 4f (3) hvy in Nov beating Pass The Time (11-0) by 19l, 3 ran.
Bitofapuzzle 3-1fav (11-7) Chased leaders, 2nd halfway, improved to lead 4 out, slight mistake 3 out, asserted entering straight, slight mistake 2 out and ridden, mistake last, kept on well run-in, won at Fairyhouse 2m 4f (1) Soft - Heavy in Apr beating Petite Parisienne (10-10) by 4 1/4l, 14 ran.
Dark Spirit (IRE) 8-1 (11-10) Held up in mid-division, lost place after 6th, stayed on after 2 out, never dangerous, 7th of 16, 13 1/4l behind Rons Dream (10-11) at Cheltenham 3m 1f hcp lst (1) gs in Nov.
Dolores Delightful (FR) 5-2jfav (11-8) Led, jumped right 2nd, soon headed, pressed leader, led again 3 out, headed after last, stayed on same pace, 2nd of 5, 3l behind Globalisation (11-5) at Ffos Las 2m 3f hcp (4) hvy in Nov.
Kayfleur 20-1 (10-12) In rear, headway to go 2nd before 3 out, weakened before 2 out, last of 5, 28 1/4l behind Morello Royale (10-12) at Kempton 3m lst (1) gs in Nov.
Red Penny (IRE) 4-1 (10-12) Chased leaders, niggled along 8th, no impression on winner 2 out, stayed on same pace, 4th of 5, 4 3/4l behind She's Da One (11-5) at Wincanton 2m 6f (4) gd in Apr.