Racecards
18:40 Salisbury
Spire Homecare Ltd Claiming Stakes (Class 5)
- 8 Runners
- Distance: 6f 212y
- Going: Soft
- Surface: Turf
- £5,000 added
- Form 71-5547
- Age 3
- Weight 9-0
- Official Rating 82
- Trainer R Hannon
- Jockey Richard Hughes
chased leader, ridden over 2f out, kept on well to hold 2nd final furlong
Croft (IRE)
15- Form 72058-0
- Age 4
- Weight 8-13
- Official Rating 50
- Trainer M S Saunders
- Jockey T G McLaughlin
towards rear, ridden 3f out, no impression
Ruffie (IRE)
74- Form 610350
- Age 4
- Weight 8-9
- Official Rating 55
- Trainer Miss Gay Kelleway
- Jockey C Haddon
held up in touch, ridden and headway to chase leader 1f out, one pace final furlong
Hard As Iron
57- Form 76-5009
- Age 3
- Weight 8-8
- Official Rating 48
- Trainer M Blanshard
- Jockey R Thomas
mid-division, ridden 3f out, behind final furlong
- Age 4
- Weight 8-7
- Trainer J J Bridger
- Jockey J F McDonald
always behind, ridden 3f out, no impression
- Form 968884
- Age 4
- Weight 8-7
- Official Rating 44
- Trainer Jean-Rene Auvray
- Jockey S Carson
led for 1f, prominent, ridden over 2f out, kept on well final furlong
- Form 9-54087
- Age 3
- Weight 8-5
- Official Rating 44
- Trainer D J S Ffrench Davis
- Jockey A Daly
slowly into stride, good headway to lead 5f out, ridden over 2f out, headed over 1f out, one pace final furlong
- Form 261215
- Age 3
- Weight 8-7
- Official Rating 60
Nonrunner
Verdict
An open little claimer but Mick Is Back certainly knows how to win in this company and Jim Boyle's Diktat gelding gets the nod here. Norisan and Drawback make it to the shortlist. Of the selection's three wins, two have come in claimers and he is the most consistent horse in the line-up. He doesn't mind a battle when the chips are down and fully effective on this going, he could prove hard to beat. Drawback knows how to win but is paying with the handicapper for his hat-trick in June and July; hence this drop into claiming company. He drops back to a trip that he has won over so mustn't be taken lightly, whilst Our Herbie ran well in defeat last time out and can run into a place again. Norisan takes a massive drop in class but has been woefully out of form of late. If anywhere near his best he will win easily, but that is not guaranteed and so we will return to Mick Is Back as the selection.
Formwatch
Norisan 33-1 (8-12) Raced far side, led, headed over 5f out, ridden and weakened over 2f out, 8th of 10, 15l behind Traffic Guard (8-12) at Newmarket 1m 3yo stk (2) gf.
Magic Mountain (IRE) 16-1 (9-7) Led, headed well over 2f out, weakened over 1f out, 7th of 9, 19l behind Laa Rayb (9-5) at Sandown 1m 3yo hcp (4) gd in Jun.
Croft (IRE) 33-1 (9-0) Mid-division, ridden over 3f out, soon weakened, last of 16, 34l behind Indian Edge (9-9) at Chepstow 1m hcap (5) sft.
Ruffie (IRE) 16-1 (8-12) Towards rear early, short-lived over 2f out, soon beaten, 11th of 14, 14l behind Legal Lover (8-11) at Brighton 1m hcp 0-60 (6) gd in May.
Hard As Iron 9-1 (8-7) In rear, ridden over 3f out, effort on wide outside over 2f out, weakened and hung left over 1f out, 9th of 10, 9l behind Mountain Cat (9-0) at W'hampton 1m 1f 3yo hcp (6) pol in Jun.
Task Complete 25-1 (9-5) Prominent, outpaced 3f out, stayed on again final furlong, 4th of 6, 2 1/2l behind Excessive (8-12) at Warwick 6f mdn fll (5) gs in Jun.
Alloro 9-1 (8-9) Mid-division, ridden over 3f out, never dangerous, 7th of 11, 33l behind Giddywell (8-4) at Nottingham 1m 2f sll (6) hvy.
Mick Is Back 9-2 (8-7) Tracked leaders until weakened 2f out, 5th of 9, 9l behind Lordship (7-11) at Warwick 7f 3yo hcp (5) gd.