Racecards
15:10 Exeter
Wbx.com Best Mate Beginners' Chase (Class 3)
- 4 Runners
- Distance: 2m 1f 110y
- Going: Good to Firm, Good in places
- Surface: Turf
- £10,000 added
- Form 3U420P-
- Age 6
- Weight 11-2
- Trainer G & J Moore
- Jockey J E Moore
prominent, joined leader 5th, ridden and led 4 out, in command when left clear 3 out, easily
- Form P-10558
- Age 7
- Weight 11-2
- Trainer C L Popham
- Jockey L Heard
chased leader, reminder after 4th, joined leader 5th, ridden 7th, left poor 2nd 3 out
So Cloudy
21- Form 176P-08
- Age 6
- Weight 10-9
- Trainer D McCain Jnr
- Jockey Stephen Craine
held up last, ridden 7th, mistake and weakened 8th, jumped badly right last
- Form 764215-
- Age 4
- Weight 10-7
- Trainer P Hobbs & J White
- Jockey R Johnson
led and not fluent 1st, headed and mistake 4 out, ridden and held when fell 3 out
In depth
Verdict
Nation State was the best of these over hurdles and Gary Moore's nicely-bred gelding is fancied to win ahead of President Royal. The selection has shown a decent turn of foot in the past and should be suited by the drop in trip for this, his chasing debut. Whilst a flatter track may have played more to his strengths, they are unlikely to go fast in this small field so assuming he can be withing striking distance turning for home, his turn of foot should be enough to see him victorious. President Royal looks the only feasibly danger. Rated 10lbs inferior to the selection over hurdles, he cannot be written off receiving 7lbs this afternoon. He is sure to have been well-schooled and having shown a fondness for Exeter when last here, he needs respect. The ground will be the quickest that he has faced to date however and whilst he has a bright future, we can take him on today. So Cloudy and Thunder Child both look up against it. Neither has impressed on their sole starts over fences, and with plenty to find on hurdles ratings, we have no problem in returning to Nation State as the nomination.
Formwatch
Nation State 4-1fav (11-9) Behind, mistake 6th, pulled up before next pulled up 5 out in race won by Treasury Counsel (10-7) at Kempton 2m 5f hcp hdl 0-130 (3) gd in Mar, 12 ran.
Thunder Child 15-2 (10-3) Chased leaders, ridden after 8th, weakened before next, 8th of 9, 36l behind Telegonus (10-10) at Exeter 2m 6f nov hcp hdl 0-100 (4) gf.
So Cloudy 20-1 (10-11) Held up, always behind, 8th of 13, well behind Karelian (11-4) at Sedgefield 2m 4f beg chs (4) gf.
President Royal (FR) 11-4 (11-5) Chased clear leader, weakened approaching 2 out, 5th of 16, 17l behind River Logic (11-12) at Market Rasen 2m 1f 4yo nov hdl (4) gs in Mar.