Racecards
13:50 Newbury
AJC Premier Novices' Hurdle (Class 3)
- 6 Runners
- Distance: 2m 4f 118y
- Going: Good to Soft (Soft in places)
- Surface: Turf
- £9,000 added
- Winner: £5,848
- 2nd: £1,717
- 3rd: £859
- 4th: £429
- Form 522-151
- Age 6
- Weight 12-0
- Official Rating 137
- Trainer K Bailey & M Nicholls
- Jockey R Johnson
with leader, keen, mistake 2nd, under pressure when jumped left 2 out, soon wekened, modest 3rd
- Form 31
- Age 5
- Weight 11-7
- Official Rating 139
- Trainer H Fry
- Jockey B J Geraghty
tracked leaders, hit 6th, ridden to challenge 2 out, kept on same pace, no extra after last
- Form R41-102
- Age 7
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer Miss R Curtis
- Jockey T E Whelan
made all, soon joined, challenged 2 out, stayed on strongly, driven out
- Form P
- Age 7
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer Miss E C Lavelle
- Jockey D F O'Regan
held up in rear, detatched with one other after 3rd, headway to take remote 4th 3 out, never a threat, moderate 4th
- Form 1-10
- Age 5
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer W Greatrex
- Jockey Harry Bannister
held up in rear but in touch, pushed along after 3rd, soon detached with one other, never dangerous
Granit (IRE)
496- Form 6-
- Age 6
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer N J Henderson
- Jockey Andrew Tinkler
took keen hold in touch, not fluent 5th, struggling next, weakened 3 out, behind when pulled up after next
In depth
Verdict
HELL'S KITCHEN (NAP) will make a smashing chaser but he's already proved he's no slouch over hurdles by beating a subsequent easy winner on the bridle around here. He gets 7lb from Kempton and Wincanton scorer Dueling Banjos and a follow-up is on the cards. Fly Du Charmil is surely better than he showed when favourite at Ascot in December but hasn't raced since. Bigbadjohn, another winning bumper, ran a bit better than expected when second at Exeter but that was over 3m and he may not have the speed of some of today's rivals.
Formwatch
Dueling Banjos 6-5fav (11-8) Made all, clear after 3 out, hard ridden next, stayed on, won at Wincanton 2m 5f (4) sft in Mar beating Fivefortyfive (11-2) by 23l, 12 ran.
Hell's Kitchen 4-1 (10-12) Tracked leader, smooth headway and upsides 2 out, led on bit between last 2, pushed out flat, always doing enough, won at Newbury 2m 5f (4) sft in Mar beating Walking In The Air (10-12) by 2l, 10 ran.
Bigbadjohn (IRE) 16-1 (11-3) Held up in touch in rear, tracked leaders from 3rd, challenged on outside 3 out, ridden after next, every chance last, switched right and no extra flat, 2nd of 5, 3 1/2l behind You Say What (11-9) at Exeter 2m 7f (4) gs in Mar.
Crack On Tom (IRE) 20-1 (10-12) Held up in touch, mistake 7th, struggling 4 out, lost touch next, tailed off when pulled up before 2 out, at Fontwell 2m 6f (4) hvy in Feb.
Fly Du Charmil (FR) 15-8fav (11-0) Made most until after 4th, chased leader, hit 6th, lost 2nd after 7th, pushed along and weakened 3 out, tailed off, 10th of 13, dist behind Western Cape (11-0) at Ascot 2m 6f mdn (3) sft in Dec.
Granit (IRE) 10-1 (11-0) In touch, headway 6f out, pushed along 3f out, weakened approaching final 2f, 6th of 8, 21 1/2l behind Sugar Baron (11-0) at Ascot 2m (5) sft in Nov.