Racecards
13:45 Newbury
Blue Square Supports Greatwood Juvenile Novices' Handicap Hurdle (Class 3)
- 7 Runners
- Distance: 2m 3f
- Going: Good
- Surface: Turf
- £8,000 added
- Form 227934
- Age 4
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 116
- Trainer N A Twiston-Davies
- Jockey P J Brennan
chased leaders, hit 6th, chased winner before 2 out, challenged and led briefly soon after last, no extra and held final 150 yards
- Form 554
- Age 4
- Weight 11-11
- Official Rating 118
- Trainer G & J Moore
- Jockey J E Moore
held up in rear, headway after 4 out, ridden and weakened next, tailed off
Reblis (FR)
36- Form 344150
- Age 4
- Weight 11-10
- Official Rating 106
- Trainer G & J Moore
- Jockey P Hide
held up in rear, mistake and struggling after 4 out, tailed off
- Form 5481
- Age 4
- Weight 11-4
- Official Rating 101
- Trainer Evan Williams
- Jockey Paul Moloney
led to 2nd, chased clear leader after, closed to lead 3 out, pecked next, headed briefly soon after last, driven and stayed on well to assert final 150 yards
Zen Factor
94- Form 657
- Age 4
- Weight 11-0
- Official Rating 104
- Trainer J G Portman
- Jockey S P Jones
took keen hold, led 2nd and soon clear, ran wide on bend soon after, reduced lead before headed 3 out, lost 2nd before next and soon weakened under pressure
Kijivu
136- Form 319
- Age 4
- Weight 10-10
- Official Rating 100
- Trainer A J Lidderdale
- Jockey R Lucey-Butler
chased leaders, mistake 6th and weakened before 2 out
- Form 498
- Age 4
- Weight 10-0
- Official Rating 89
- Trainer R Rowe
- Jockey M Goldstein
held up in rear, hit 6th and driven struggling after 4 out, tailed off
Verdict
PSI is selected here ahead of stablemate Reblis, recent winner Dantari and Rory Boy. Gary Moore's French recruit is blinkered for the first time today as he makes his handicap debut off a mark of 115. His runs behind Zaynar (Triumph winner), Ronaldo Des Mottes (official rating of 134) and Torphichen (not disgraced in the Supreme Novices' at Cheltenham) certainly catch the eye and if the market agrees then he should be followed. Rory Boy has top-weight but ran well in defeat last time at Bangor and he has plenty of experience to draw on, not so for Reblis who is another Gary Moore French recruit. He has only had two starts in this country but both have been in good races and he is not to be overlooked here. Okafranca is only modest on the flat and looks to be the same over hurdles; the ground may not have been ideal for him last time however and he may improve today. The biggest threat looks to be recent winner Dantari. He stepped up on what we had previously seen when winning on his handicap bow last time and a 7lb penalty may not be enough to stop another very bold show. A tricky opener but the blinkers should help Psi find more for pressure and come home in front.
Formwatch
Rory Boy (USA) 11-1 (11-4) Chased leader, ridden approaching 2 out, no extra flat, 4th of 9, 3 1/2l behind Loco Grande (10-4) at Bangor 2m 1f 4yo nov hcp hdl (3) gs in Feb.
Psi (USA) 33-1 (10-12) Held up in 6th, mistake 4th, stayed on from 2 out, never in contention, 4th of 8, 12l behind Torphichen (11-4) at Sandown 2m 4yo nov hdl (3) sft in Feb.
Reblis (FR) 50-1 (11-0) Never better than mid-division, 11th of 16, 25l behind Silk Affair (10-8) at Sandown 2m 4f nov hcp hdl (3) sft in Feb.
Dantari (IRE) 11-2 (10-3) Tracked leader, led after 5th, ridden clear last, edged right flat, kept on, won at Fontwell 2m 2f hcp hdl 0-115 (4) gd beating Swainson (10-12) by 5l, 14 ran.
Zen Factor 66-1 (10-12) Led after 1st, not fluent 3rd, headed 3 out, weakening when jumped left 2 out, went badly left last, 7th of 13, well behind Zaynar (10-12) at Newbury 2m 3yo nov hdl (4) sft in Dec.
Kijivu 28-1 (11-0) Mid-division, weakened before 3 out, 9th of 15, 43l behind Cosmea (11-3) at Huntingdon 2m 3yo nov hdl (4) gs in Nov.
Capeleira (IRE) 200-1 (10-12) Never fluent, always behind, tailed off, 8th of 10, well behind Silk Drum (11-8) at Doncaster 2m 4yo nov hdl (3) sft in Jan.
Okafranca (IRE) 7-1 (10-7) Held up, soon in mid-division, driven in 4th after 3 out, plugged on to take 3rd soon after last, 3rd of 11, 18l behind Enfant De Lune (11-8) at Lingfield 2m nov hdl (4) sft.