Racecards
20:20 Hamilton Park
Lead The Field Virgin Media Claiming Stakes (Class 6)
- 8 Runners
- Distance: 1m 3f 16y
- Going: Soft, Heavy in places
- Surface: Turf
- £4,000 added
Kinfayre Boy
657- Form 87390P/
- Age 5
- Weight 9-7
- Official Rating 45
- Trainer K W Hogg
- Jockey Ann Stokell
led to halfway, soon lost place, weakened and eased final 2f
Frith (IRE)
68- Form 585/050
- Age 5
- Weight 9-6
- Official Rating 60
- Trainer Mrs L B Normile
- Jockey P Mulrennan
mid-division, outpaced over 3f out, ridden and headway 2f out, challenged over 1f out, edged left and kept on to chase winner well inside final furlong
- Form 0/00-0
- Age 4
- Weight 9-3
- Official Rating 18
- Trainer J S Haldane
- Jockey G Bartley
mid-division, lost place over 5f out, soon eased, pulled up lame over 1f out
- Form 333-986
- Age 4
- Weight 9-2
- Official Rating 46
- Trainer F P Murtagh
- Jockey P Cosgrave
behind, outpaced 4f out, soon ridden and beaten
- Form 69588-7
- Age 5
- Weight 9-1
- Official Rating 53
- Trainer J R Weymes
- Jockey Graham Gibbons
keen early, tracked leader, led halfway, ridden over 1f out, held on under pressure final furlong
- Form 5
- Age 5
- Weight 9-0
- Official Rating 38
- Trainer B Mactaggart
- Jockey Greg Fairley
held up behind, headway 3f out, ridden and effort over 2f out, weakened final furlong
- Form 000
- Age 4
- Weight 8-12
- Official Rating 32
- Trainer C W Thornton
- Jockey P McDonald
driven to chase leaders, ridden over 5f out, soon outpaced
- Form 5-61849
- Age 3
- Weight 8-9
- Official Rating 63
- Trainer I Semple
- Jockey Jamie Moriarty
tracked leaders, ridden 3f out, went 2nd over 2f out, ridden and edged right over 1f out, kept on until no extra well inside final furlong
Verdict
Press Express gets the nod in the claimer ahead of Zabeel Tower and Patavian. On the sole occasion that Press Express has so far dropped to selling or claiming company, he won and, with his handicap efforts not reading too badly of late - particularly in the context of this race - he looks to be a major player today. Zabeel Tower faces this grade for only the second time and, coming here on the back of a good recent Musselburgh effort, he makes it firmly onto the short list. As does Patavian, who has a clear chance based on ratings but he will have to put a poor first-time blinkered run behind him today if he is to feature. Once again, then, the selection is Press Express.
Formwatch
Kinfayre Boy 12-1 (8-2) Mid-division after 4f when pulled up in race won by Regency Red (8-10) at Musselburgh 1m 4f clm (5) gf in Sept '05, 9 ran.
Frith (IRE) 28-1 (8-8) Led, headed over 3f out, soon weakened, last of 11, 28l behind Sudden Impulse (8-11) at Newcastle 1m 4f hcp 0-70 (5) gf in May.
Welcome Spirit 100-1 (9-12) Led, headed over 6f out, soon behind, 12th of 14, well behind Ostfanni (11-1) at Musselburgh 2m amt hcp 0-80 (6) gd in Jun.
Coronation Flight 20-1 (8-3) Prominent far side, led group over 2f out, no chance with stands side, 6th of 14, 16l behind Blue Sky Thinking (9-7) at Newcastle 1m clm (6) gs in May.
Simply St Lucia 22-1 (8-10) Soon led, headed over 4f out, ridden well over 2f out, soon weakened, 7th of 11, 10l behind The Grey One (8-9) at Southwell 1m hcp (6) fbs in Apr.
Raguany (IRE) 50-1 (8-9) Mid-division, outpaced over 3f out, soon beaten, 5th of 7, 17l behind Ballyhurry (8-4) at Musselburgh 1m 1f clm (6) gd in Jun.
Roll Em Over 25-1 (10-9) Tracked leaders to over 4f out, lost touch final 3f, soon well behind, last of 11, 25l behind Regency Red (10-9) at W'hampton 1m 4f amt stk (6) pol in Jun.
Patavian (IRE) 12-1 (9-7) Led, ridden and headed over 3f out, soon weakened, 9th of 12, 40l behind Toboggan Lady (8-3) at Hamilton 1m 4f 3yo hcp (6) sft.
Zabeel Tower 8-1 (8-11) With leader, led over 2f out, ridden and headed over 1f out, one pace, 3rd of 11, 3l behind Neil's Legacy (8-9) at Ayr 1m 1f hcp 0-65 (6) gd.
Press Express (IRE) 11-4fav (9-1) Held up, ridden over 2f out, headway over 1f out, kept on, 5th of 13, 9l behind Turn Of Phrase (9-0) at Catterick 1m 4f hcp 0-65 (6) gs.