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Racecards

14:40 Fontwell Park

Leighton Aspell Fan Club Handicap Chase (Class 5)

  • 6 Runners
  • Distance: 2m 6f
  • Going: Good, Good to Firm in places
  • Surface: Turf
Weighed In
  • Winning Time: 5m 41.70s
  • 6 Ran
2
Silk -
11/2

    1
    Silk - Purple, Pink spots, Pink sleeves, Purple spots
    16/1
    • Form FP/31P-P
    • Age 13
    • Weight 11-12
    • Official Rating 85

    always behind, driven and struggling 9th, soon tailed off

    2
    Silk - SCARLET, BLACK and WHITE hooped sleeves, BLACK spots on cap

    Sunshan

    120 BFD
    5/2
    • Form P-263P2
    • Age 10
    • Weight 11-12
    • Official Rating 85

    close up, weakened 4 out, no chance when hit last

    3
    Silk - BLACK, GOLD cross belts, BLACK and RED quartered cap

    Smart Guy

    27 p CDC
    11/2
    • Form 6/3137-2
    • Age 14
    • Weight 11-7
    • Official Rating 80

    led, hit 8th, narrowly headed 11th, stayed challenging until one pace after 3 out

    4
    Silk - Emerald Green, White disc, White sleeves, Emerald Green armlets, White cap

    Taksina

    30
    7/2
    • Form 531537
    • Age 7
    • Weight 11-5
    • Official Rating 78

    chased leader until weakened and lost place 10th, outpaced from 4 out

    5
    Silk - Dark Green, Red epaulets, striped sleeves, Red cap, Dark Green star
    • Form 43PP3P
    • Age 8
    • Weight 11-2
    • Official Rating 75

    close up, headway to track leader 10th, led and mistake next, not fluent 3 out, in no danger when jumped right last 2

    6
    Silk - Brown and White stripes, Brown sleeves
    11/2
    • Form 050-PP4
    • Age 7
    • Weight 10-12
    • Official Rating 71

    chased leaders, one pace under pressure when blundered and nearly unseated rider 3 out, no impression after

    7
    NR
    • Form 5-64735
    • Age 9
    • Weight 10-8
    • Official Rating 67

    Nonrunner

    In depth

    Verdict

    Smart Guy can gain his second course-and-distance success at the expense of Sunshan and Kappelhoff, with Taksina best of the remainder. At the age of 14, Smart Guy is definitely reaching the twilight of his career, but Linda Jewell's veteran showed that there was still a race to be won with him when finishing second to the more fancied Rosses Point on his belated return to action in January. All four of his career wins have come at the Sussex track, and all in December, but having missed out on his Christmas appearance this time round, he is still fresh enough to support. Sunshan will have his supporters after only being headed close home at Wincanton last time and he will like the ground as well, while Kappelhoff has a light weight and will appreciate this less exacting journey after failing to last out over Towcester's stiff three miles last month. Taksina has time on his side as one of the younger brigade here, but has gone off the boil a bit, and on a course he knows so well, Smart Guy can make them all go.

    Formwatch

    Twotensforafive 33-1 (11-0) Behind, ridden and lost touch 7th, tailed off when pulled up 5 out in race won by Smeathe's Ridge (10-11) at Folkestone 2m 5f hcp chs 0-95 (5) sft in Jan, 11 ran.

    Sunshan 3-1jt-fav (9-8) Prominent, headway and challenged 4 out, ridden 3 out, led approaching last, hard ridden flat, headed close home, 2nd of 6, 1 1/2l behind Breaking Breeze (11-5) at Wincanton 2m 5f hcp chs 0-110 (E) frm in Oct.

    Smart Guy 9-1 (10-9) Led, ridden 4 out, mistake and headed 3 out, soon no chance with winner, 2nd of 9, 3l behind Rosses Point (10-8) at Fontwell 2m 6f hcp chs 0-95 (5) gs in Jan.

    Taksina 25-1 (9-6) Led until 3rd, chased leaders, weakening when hampered 11th, 7th of 12, 21l behind First De La Brunie (10-5) at Wincanton 2m 5f hcp chs (4) sft in Jan.

    Quizzling (IRE) 33-1 (9-11) Always towards rear, lost touch 10th, tailed off when pulled up 5 out in race won by First De La Brunie (10-5) at Wincanton 2m 5f hcp chs (4) sft in Jan, 12 ran.

    Aisjem (IRE) 16-1 (10-0) In touch, mistake 2nd, reminders 4th, weakening when not fluent 4 out, 4th of 9, 29l behind Advance East (10-2) at Chepstow 2m hcp chs 0-95 (5) sft in Jan.

    Kappelhoff (IRE) 16-1 (10-0) Tracked leaders, ridden and weakened after 3 out, 5th of 13, 18l behind Heartache (10-0) at Towcester 3m hcp chs 0-100 (4) sft in Jan.