Racecards
16:10 Leicester
Running Hare Handicap Chase (Qualifier For The Challenger Middle Distance Chase Series Final) (Class 4)
- 5 Runners
- Distance: 2m 4f 45y
- Going: Soft (Heavy in places)
- Surface: Turf
- £7,000 added
- Winner: £4,549
- 2nd: £1,336
- 3rd: £668
- 4th: £334
- Form 1344-42
- Age 6
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 120
- Trainer T R George
- Jockey B J Geraghty
held up in rear, not fluent 1st, closed 8th, challenged 2 out, led before last, clear last, stayed on well
- Form P1-F223
- Age 6
- Weight 11-11
- Official Rating 119
- Trainer R Walford
- Jockey A Thornton
chased leaders on outside, jumped right and not fluent 10th, 4th and one pace when blundered 3 out, weakened
- Form 24-4351
- Age 6
- Weight 11-7
- Official Rating 108
- Trainer N A Twiston-Davies
- Jockey Sam Twiston-Davies
led, headed 1st, tracked leader until 5th, went 2nd again 8th, challenged 4 out, led after next, driven and headed before last, no impression on winner flat, one pace
- Form 421-54P
- Age 7
- Weight 11-5
- Official Rating 113
- Trainer K C Bailey
- Jockey David Bass
tracked leaders, went 2nd 5th until 8th, soon pushed along, outpaced after 11th, weakened before 4 out
- Form 0546-51
- Age 8
- Weight 11-5
- Official Rating 113
- Trainer F O'Brien
- Jockey Conor Shoemark
jumped slightly left, led 1st, headed after 3 out, 3rd and one pace before last
Verdict
Two French imports head the weights with Walk In The Mill preferred of the pair as he's shown up well enough an all three starts for Robert Walford and has been dropped a couple of pounds for a respectable latest effort. Cernunnos was just touched off at Doncaster last time and is on the improve after two rather uninspiring efforts for the George team. He's certainly not discounted but BALLYRATH stayed on nicely when obliging here last time and is taken to repeat the dose under his penalty. Troika Steppes is also respected after his last-time course success but is unproven on the ground whilst Thedrinkymeister has yet to spark this term and is best watched.
Formwatch
Cernunnos (FR) 6-1 (11-12) Tracked leaders, went 2nd from 8th, led 10th, ridden before last, kept on and headed post, 2nd of 5, shd behind Waltz Darling (11-12) at Doncaster 2m 3f hcp (4) gs in Dec.
Walk In The Mill (FR) 9-1 (11-1) Held up, headway 6th, went 3rd 2 out, no impression on front pair, one pace, 3rd of 9, 12 1/2l behind Big Jim (10-5) at Warwick 2m hcp (3) hvy in Jan.
Ballyrath (IRE) 5-2jfav (11-10) Prominent, led 10th until 11th, jumped right and not fluent next, led again before 4 out, clear before next, easily, won at Leicester 2m 7f hcp (4) sft in Jan beating Buckhorn Tom (11-9) by 9l, 5 ran.
Thedrinkymeister (IRE) 5-2jfav (11-5) Disputed lead to 3rd, tracked leaders, outpaced 10th, weakened 5 out, tailed off when pulled up after 3 out, at Warwick 2m 4f hcp (4) hvy in Dec.
Troika Steppes 12-1 (11-12) Made all, clear after 5 out to next, 2 lengths advantage when ridden after 2 out, stayed on well flat, won at Leicester 2m 7f hcp (4) gd in Dec beating Monderon (11-2) by 1 1/2l, 10 ran.