Racecards
20:30 Newton Abbot
Diageo Handicap Hurdle
- 5 Runners
- Distance: 3m 3f
- Going: Good to Firm, Good in places
- Surface: Turf
- Form 502121-
- Age 12
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 107
- Trainer Evan Williams
- Jockey A P McCoy
behind, ridden approaching 9th, headway after 3 out, left 2nd 2 out, led approaching last, driven out
- Form R28166-
- Age 8
- Weight 11-9
- Official Rating 104
- Trainer R H Alner
- Jockey A Thornton
chased leaders until 9th, soon weakened
- Form 1PPP/25-
- Age 9
- Weight 11-8
- Official Rating 103
- Trainer B J Eckley
- Jockey M Nicolls
led, ridden after 3 out, 2 lengths clear when fell 2 out
- Form 6504P-P
- Age 8
- Weight 10-13
- Official Rating 94
- Trainer Ian Williams
- Jockey D R Dennis
prominent, ridden after 3 out, left in lead next, headed approaching last, no extra
Wimbledonian
48- Form 1/P6034-
- Age 6
- Weight 10-9
- Official Rating 90
- Trainer R T Phillips
- Jockey W Marston
held up, ridden approaching 9th, headway after 3 out, hampered next, kept on same pace
- Form 122DPP-
- Age 8
- Weight 11-10
- Official Rating 105
- Trainer B J Llewellyn
- Jockey R Stephens
Nonrunner
- Form 22/5077-
- Age 8
- Weight 11-5
- Official Rating 100
- Trainer Miss Victoria Roberts
- Jockey Stephen Craine
Nonrunner
- Form 1B3532-
- Age 7
- Weight 11-4
- Official Rating 99
- Trainer Evan Williams
- Jockey Christian Williams
Nonrunner
In depth
Verdict
Graffiti Tongue has an obvious chance on recent form and is taken to make it three form his last four at the main expense of Good Man Again and Alvaro. The selection confirmed his liking for an extreme test of stamina when resuming winning ways at Fontwell last month and is taken to defy his latest rise in the weights. Good Man Again is improving with experience and distance and there may be more to come from the Evan Williams-trained gelding. Alvaro has disappointed over fences of late and has claims back over the smaller obstacles, while El Hombre Del Rio is another switching back to hurdles after a spell chasing and will be well suited by this test of stamina. Wimbledonian receives weight all round and is another worthy of a mention but for the vote we return to Graffiti Tongue, who is taken to defy the handicapper once more.
Formwatch
Graffiti Tongue (IRE) 3-1fav Ran in snatches, in touch, headway approaching 3 out, led before 2 out, headed briefly last, driven ahead final 150 yards, won at Fontwell 3m 3f hcp hdl 0-110 (E) gf in Apr beating Unusual Suspect by a hd, 8 ran.
El Hombre Del Rio (IRE) 7-2jt-fav Held up, mistake 3rd, ridden 12th, behind from 17th, tailed off, 6th of 8, well behind Earl's Kitchen at Chepstow 3m 2f hcp chs 0-125 (D) gs in Feb.
Witness Time (IRE) 14-1 Led, ridden and headed approaching 2 out, weakened approaching last, 5th of 15, 7l behind General Gossip at Bangor 3m hcp hdl 0-120 (D) gs in Apr.
Ungaretti (GER) 6-1 Chased leader to 5th, lost place 8th, tailed off when pulled up 3 out in race won by Silver Samuel at Hereford 3m 1f hcp chs 0-105 (E) gf in Apr, 7 ran.
Wimbledonian 11-2 Keen, tracked leaders, pushed along and lost place approaching 7th, rallied 3 out, weakened 2 out, 4th of 6, 18l behind Rowley Hill at Towcester 3m hcp hdl 0-120 (D) sft in Mar.
Alvaro (IRE) 11-2 Mid-division, mistake 6th, hard ridden 11th, soon behind, pulled up before 2 out pulled up in race won by Solve It Sober at Chepstow 3m sll hcp chs 0-95 (G) gs in Apr, 14 ran.
Periwinkle Lad (IRE) 66-1 Always towards rear, 7th of 18, 27l behind Rift Valley at Wincanton 2m 6f hcp hdl 0-110 (E) gd in Apr.
Good Man Again (IRE) 7-1 Towards rear, headway 7th, ridden 3 out, every chance 2 out, one pace when mistake last, 2nd of 17, 5l behind Espresso Forte at Hereford 3m 2f nov hcp hdl 0-95 (F) gs in Mar.