Racecards
14:05 Kempton Park
Book Now For Christmas Handicap Hurdle (Class 3)
- 12 Runners
- Distance: 3m 110y
- Going: Good to Soft
- Surface: Turf
- £8,000 added
Mikado
31- Form 0021U-0
- Age 5
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 120
- Trainer J & A O'Neill
- Jockey A P McCoy
chased leaders until ridden and weakened 3 out
- Form 183/466-
- Age 10
- Weight 11-7
- Official Rating 115
- Trainer Lady Herries
- Jockey L P Aspell
mid-division, headway to track leaders 4 out, mistake and weakened next, pulled up approaching 2 out
- Form 42134-1
- Age 5
- Weight 11-6
- Official Rating 114
- Trainer Miss E C Lavelle
- Jockey B Fenton
held up in rear, hit 5th, steady headway from 9th, went 3rd and mistake 2 out, weakened between last 2
- Form 351-2P7
- Age 6
- Weight 11-5
- Official Rating 113
held up in mid-division, headway to chase leaders 3 out, slight lead and mistake 2 out, headed approaching last, weakened run-in
- Form 2/3PP0-8
- Age 8
- Weight 11-3
- Official Rating 111
- Trainer R T Phillips
- Jockey W Marston
chased leaders, ridden when hampered on inside on bend after 8th, soon weakened, tailed off
- Form F28/1-76
- Age 6
- Weight 11-2
- Official Rating 110
- Trainer C R Egerton
- Jockey N D Fehily
held up in rear, blundered 6th, weakened 9th, tailed off when pulled up approaching 2 out
- Form 0052F4-
- Age 8
- Weight 11-2
- Official Rating 110
- Trainer Miss C Dyson
- Jockey Miss C Dyson
led, clear 8th, headed 2 out, weakened
- Form 71-6425
- Age 6
- Weight 10-11
- Official Rating 105
- Trainer J W Mullins
- Jockey W P Kavanagh
held up towards rear, under pressure and beaten after 3 out, mistake next
Apollo Theatre
353- Form P454/PP-
- Age 8
- Weight 10-11
- Official Rating 105
- Trainer R Rowe
- Jockey Timmy Murphy
raced wide, behind, lost touch from 7th, tailed off when pulled up approaching 3 out
- Form 25961/6
- Age 6
- Weight 10-10
- Official Rating 104
- Trainer P Hobbs & J White
- Jockey T J O'Brien
chased leaders, ridden 4 out, weakened approaching next, tailed off
- Form 3/643P-5
- Age 7
- Weight 10-6
- Official Rating 100
- Trainer A King
- Jockey R Thornton
tracked leader, mistake and reminders 7th, ridden to challenge when blundered badly 2 out, recovered to lead and mistake last, driven clear run-in
Beyondtherealm
273- Form 7954/15-
- Age 8
- Weight 10-2
- Official Rating 96
- Trainer J D Frost
- Jockey Mr Byron Moorcroft
held up mid-division, headway after 3 out, went moderate 3rd last
Verdict
Blaeberry finally fulfilled earlier potential when getting the better of Minella Tipperary (a winner since) at Exeter last month and is taken to follow up off his 6lb higher mark today with Mikado and Ballyhoo rated the main dangers. Mikado is better than he showed at Chepstow on his return and has to be respected but Jonjo O'Neill's gelding faces no easy task giving weight away all round. Robert Alner's Macmar has been well held in two starts previously this season but most of the yard's runners have tended to improve with racing this term and there may be more to come from him. Fordingbridge would have to be considered a doubtful stayer and of more interest may be Charlie Egerton's Valance, who is also unproven over the trip but is more likely to appreciate it. Ballyhoo has solid claims on the form shown behind Take The Stand at Plumpton but has disappointed again since then and a safer bet looks to be Blaeberry, who is hard to oppose.
Formwatch
Mikado 25-1 (10-1) Never a factor, 12th of 16, well behind Desert Tommy (10-1) at Chepstow 3m hcp hdl (2) gs in Oct.
Murphy's Quest 11-4fav (11-2) Mid-division, headway 9th, ridden and mistake 3 out, soon weakened, 6th of 16, 46l behind Jonny's Kick (11-2) at Towcester 2m 6f beg chs (4) gd in Apr.
Blaeberry 14-1 (11-12) Held up behind, steady headway from 9th, challenging when hit 2 out, led last, driven out, won at Exeter 3m hcp hdl 0-110 (4) gd in Oct beating Minella Tipperary (11-0) by 1l, 14 ran.
Macmar (FR) 5-2fav (11-5) Chased leaders, ridden after 3 out, soon weakened, 7th of 10, 23l behind Mossville (10-2) at Wincanton 2m 6f nov hdl (4) gs in Oct.
Greenfield (IRE) 16-1 (11-4) Mid-division, ridden 3 out, weakened next, 8th of 14, 26l behind Wot Way Chief (10-5) at Market Rasen 2m 3f hcp hdl 0-115 (4) gd.
Valance (IRE) 22-1 (9-7) In touch, out paced 5th, stayed on again past beaten horses from 2 out, 6th of 15, 21l behind Desert Quest (11-12) at Ascot 2m hcp hdl (2) gf in Oct.
Supreme Piper (IRE) 10-1 (10-6) Close up, disputed lead when hit 7th, weakened approaching 3 out, 4th of 9, 26l behind Habitual Dancer (11-8) at Newcastle 3m hcp hdl 0-125 (3) hvy in Mar.
Ballyhoo (IRE) 11-4 (10-13) Mostly tracked leader until led 6th, headed 3 out, weakened and mistake next, 5th of 10, 19l behind Fullards (11-7) at Lingfield 2m 7f hcp hdl 0-115 (4) gs.
Apollo Theatre 33-1 (10-7) In touch and chasing group until lost place and dropped to last after 5th, soon tailed off and pulled up 2 out in race won by Nor'nor'east (11-0) at Sandown 2m 6f hcp hdl 0-130 (C) hvy in Dec, 12 ran.
Fordingbridge (USA) 10-3fav (11-9) Held up, mistake 2nd, headway into mid-division after 5th, ridden after next, one pace after, 6th of 14, 14l behind Fort Ord (10-10) at Sandown 2m 4f cnd hcp hdl 0-105 (4) gd.
Inishturk (IRE) 9-1 (11-2) Mid-division, headway after 7th, went 3rd at last, one pace flat, 5th of 13, 6l behind Almizan (11-9) at Fontainebleau 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-110 (4) gd.
Beyondtherealm 20-1 (9-12) Towards rear, headway 6th, weakened after 7th, 5th of 8, well behind Bumper (11-1) at Exeter 2m 6f nov hcp hdl 0-125 (3) sft in Feb.