Racecards
14:45 Fontwell Park
'we Race Different' At 888poker.com Novices' Hurdle (Class 4)
- 8 Runners
- Distance: 2m 2f 110y
- Going: Good, Good to Firm in places
- Surface: Turf
- £4,000 added
- Winner: £2,602
- 2nd: £764
- 3rd: £382
- 4th: £191
- Form 9-1
- Age 4
- Weight 11-4
- Trainer P Hedger
- Jockey L P Aspell
held up in rear, headway 4th, hampered next, soon went 3rd, ridden 6th, weakened next
Astrolibra
24- Form 22-1202
- Age 6
- Weight 10-12
- Official Rating 115
- Trainer M H Tompkins
- Jockey C Bolger
tracked leaders, reminders 3rd, left 2nd 5th, no chance with winner from 3 out, kept on for clear 2nd
- Form 5-
- Age 6
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer B Curley
- Jockey D F O'Regan
mid-division, ridden 6th, weakened next
- Form 232F-12
- Age 5
- Weight 10-12
- Official Rating 115
- Trainer Mrs L J Mongan
- Jockey R Johnson
made all, clear from 3 out, unchallenged
Westcoat Lad
74- Form 4-519
- Age 5
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer K Tork
- Jockey Tom Cannon
mid-division, ridden 5th, weakened 3 out
- Form 04
- Age 4
- Weight 10-11
- Trainer M G Quinlan
- Jockey R J Killoran
held up, hampered and unseated rider 5th
Aura
41- Form U
- Age 5
- Weight 10-5
- Trainer J L Flint
- Jockey Christian Williams
in rear, ridden 4th, weakened 6th
Verdict
Peter Hedger's BRETT VALE, a useful middle distance performer on the flat at his best, made a decent start to his hurdling career when landing a novices' hurdle over course and distance and he has every chance of following up that win and is taken to do so despite the penalty for that win. Astrolibra has struggled under penalties since winning at Wetherby in May, while Laura Mongan's Synthe Davis is likely to find this tougher than the race that she won at Newton Abbot but has to be hugely respected having run well when chasing home Quo Video here subsequently. Michael Blake's Great Bounder could be of interest first time up over timber, while any market support for Sommersturm should be noted but it is Brett Vale that gets the vote.
Formwatch
Brett Vale (IRE) 5-1 (10-10) Held up in rear, headway 6th, challenged 2 out, slight lead when mistake and headed last, got back up under hand riding towards finish, won at Fontwell 2m 2f nh nov hdl (4) gd in Aug beating Penyfan Dawn (11-5) by 1/2l, 7 ran.
Astrolibra 11-4 (11-3) Tracked leaders, chased winner 3 out, ridden and no impression from 2 out, stayed on, 2nd of 7, 3l behind Black Annie (10-10) at Stratford 2m 3f mrs nov hdl (4) gf in Aug.
Sommersturm (GER) 66-1 (11-2) Took keen hold in rear, headway to go 5th when blundered 2 out, hit last, never near leaders, 5th of 14, 18l behind Talenti (11-2) at Huntingdon 2m 4f mdn hdl (4) gs in Mar.
Synthe Davis (FR) 5-1 (10-12) Tracked leaders, hit 2nd, went 2nd approaching 4 out, ridden approaching last, every chance flat, just held near finish, 2nd of 7, nk behind Quo Video (11-12) at Fontwell 2m 4f nh nov hdl (4) gd in Jun.
Westcoat Lad 25-1 (10-10) In touch, took keen hold, ridden 3f out, hung left over 1f out, soon weakened, 9th of 13, 28l behind Eleven Fifty Nine (10-0) at Worcester 2m NH flat (6) gf in Jun.
Great Bounder (CAN) 12-1 (8-10) Tracked leader, joined leader 6f out, ridden over 2f out, unable to quicken near finish, 3rd of 12, 1/2l behind Alternative Choice (9-8) at Wolverhampton 1m 4f clm stks 0-60 (6) pol in Jul (flat).
Martin Scruff (IRE) 50-1 (10-8) Held up in rear, not fluent 2nd, mistake next, ridden and hung left after 5th, went remote 4th before 2 out, 4th of 7, 36l behind Russian George (11-4) at Market Rasen 2m 1f nh nov hdl (4) gd in Aug.
Aura 40-1 (10-10) Held up in rear, not fluent, mistake 2nd, veered left and unseated rider 5th, in a race won by Riverscape (11-10) at Uttoxeter 2m mrs nov hdl (4) gd in Jul, 10 ran.