Racecards
16:00 Fontwell Park
Crown Racing 'Your Local Independent' Handicap Chase (Class F)
- 11 Runners
- Distance: 2m 6f
- Going: Heavy
- Form 535/64-P
- Age 6
- Weight 11-12
- Trainer P F Nicholls
- Jockey Ruby Walsh
in touch until ridden and losing place when pecked 2 out
- Form 5F21-43
- Age 9
- Weight 11-12
- Trainer C J Mann
- Jockey N D Fehily
in rear and several slow jumps early, plenty to do 3 out, stayed on under pressure from next, kept on to take 2nd flat, no chance with winner
- Form 056-P15
- Age 10
- Weight 11-7
held up in rear, stayed on under pressure from 2 out, chased winner last, no impression and lost 2nd flat
- Form 323P-FP
- Age 10
- Weight 11-5
- Trainer T R George
- Jockey J M Maguire
tracked leaders until weakened 4 out,tailed off when pulled up before 2 out
- Form 4/F3211-
- Age 12
- Weight 11-3
- Trainer J White
- Jockey D R Dennis
always in rear, mistake 4th, tailed off
- Form 3121/P-P
- Age 10
- Weight 11-2
- Trainer Mrs Jane Galpin
- Jockey R Greene
in mid-division until weakened 3 out
Smart Guy
34- Form 30P2-01
- Age 12
- Weight 11-1
- Trainer Mrs L Jewell
- Jockey J E Moore
led, headed and weakened before 2 out, mistake last
Little Ross
17- Form 45P-304
- Age 9
- Weight 10-12
tracked leader from 2nd, weakened quickly approaching 2 out
- Form 53-P643
- Age 8
- Weight 10-11
- Trainer A Ennis
- Jockey Jimmy McCarthy
held up in rear, hit 3rd, headway 7th, weakened 3 out
Kitimat
8- Form 6-03646
- Age 7
- Weight 10-0
- Trainer R Buckler
- Jockey Mr R Stephens
in touch and always going well, led approaching 2 out, soon clear, stayed on strongly
- Form P0/0P-06
- Age 12
- Weight 10-0
- Trainer J Bridger
- Jockey R Lucey-Butler
chased leader until mistake and lost place 7th, weakened rapidly before next, tailed off when pulled up before 2 out
Verdict
Not the strongest of races to close the card and a chance is taken with course specialist Smart Guy, who is preferred over Villair, Khaladjistan and Beefy Nova. The selection, a three-time previous winner at this track, is set to encounter his ideal conditions today and arrives here at the top of his game after a comfortable success over Beefy Nova last month. Smart Guy is 7lb worse off with that rival here and will need to be on his metal, but he has the right attitude for a battle and is the more convincing of the two when assuming they will give their running. There are also doubts about a number of his other rivals so Smart Guy looks the safest option to put the cliche about horse for course to the test.