Racecards
15:50 Southwell
Play Never Stops At Victor Chandler Poker Standard Open Nh Flat Race (Class 4)
- 8 Runners
- Distance: 2m
- Going: Slow
- Surface: Fibresand
- £7,000 added
- Form 31
- Age 5
- Weight 11-9
- Trainer Noel T Chance
- Jockey R Johnson
held up, headway 5f out, led 2f out, edged right inside final furlong, driven out
- Form 117
- Age 5
- Weight 11-9
- Trainer D E Cantillon
- Jockey Giles Hawkins
tracked leaders, chased winner over 1f out briefly, weakened inside final furlong
- Form 4-1
- Age 6
- Weight 11-9
- Trainer N J Henderson
- Jockey B J Geraghty
led, headed 2f out, weakened over 1f out
- Age 5
- Weight 11-5
- Trainer M & D Easterby
- Jockey Mr O Greenall
held up, ridden over 5f out, stayed on final 2f, went 3rd near finish
- Form 3
- Age 6
- Weight 11-5
raced keenly, pressed leader until 3f out, weakened 2f out
- Form 24
- Age 5
- Weight 11-5
tracked leaders, fell over 4f out
- Form 42-3
- Age 5
- Weight 11-5
- Trainer Ian Williams
- Jockey S Thomas
held up, hampered over 4f out, headway 2f out, went 2nd 1f out, ran on inside final furlong, not reach winner
- Form 5
- Age 5
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer Ferdy Murphy
- Jockey E Whillans
held up, raced keenly, headway over 11f out, ridden over 3f out, weakened over 2f out
Verdict
It is never easy to win a bumper under a penalty and there are three runners in this contest where eight line up that have already won races and the likelihood is that one of them may well score again with marginal preference for BRACKLOON HIGH, who gets the vote ahead of Grand Award and Wallace Monument. Nicky Henderson's gelding disappointed when odds on for his debut here in October 2008 but did well when overcoming an absence since then when landing an event at Ludlow in November last year. He has to be respected but his earlier run here is of concern. Ian Williams has his team in good form so his runner, Oh No Not Harry, has to be considered especially having run well in all three starts so far but he is becoming expensive to follow. Michael O'Hare's King Rufo did not progress from a promising debut effort at Navan when well held at Ffos Las last month and looks best watched but he may do better on the Fibresand. Inspector Qics was run out of second place late on at Taunton last month and will need to improve on that effort to trouble the judge. Don Cantillon's Grand Award won well first time out at Worcester and has solid claims on that form but he disappointed in a better race at Sandown subsequently and a better bet looks to be Brackloon High. Noel Chance's gelding showed much improved form from his debut effort at Fakenham when running out the easy winner of a race at Plumpton at the beginning of the month and, with the yard's runners coming into good form now, he looks worth backing to win again.
Formwatch
Brackloon High (IRE) 15-8 (11-5) Tracked leaders, led well over 1f out, soon clear, won at Plumpton 2m 2f NH flat (6) sft beating Frontier Spirit (11-5) by 16l, 6 ran.
Grand Award 16-1 (11-7) Held up in rear, raced keenly, headway 3f out, weakened 2f out, 7th of 13, 20l behind Megastar (11-0) at Sandown 2m NH flat (5) gd in Nov.
Wallace Monument 11-4 (11-2) Tracked leader, led after 3f, edged left 2f out, driven over 1f out, kept on inside final furlong, won at Ludlow 2m NH flat (5) gs in Nov beating Thunderstorm (11-2) by 3/4l, 7 ran.
Bitter Blue (IRE) Definite Article gelding out of Sorivera.
Inspector Qics 50-1 (10-13) Led until headed over 2f out, soon no chance with winner, lost 2nd near finish, 3rd of 11, 9l behind Owen Glendower (11-2) at Taunton 2m 1f NH flat (5) sft in Dec.
King Rufo (IRE) 7-4fav (11-0) Raced wide, close up, pushed along 3f out, one pace final 2f and lost modest 3rd post, 4th of 13, 17l behind Adams Island (11-0) at Ffos Las 2m NH flat (6) gs in Dec.
Oh No Not Harry (FR) 9-1 (11-2) Held up in touch, hard ridden to challenge over 2f out, weakened approaching final furlong, 3rd of 16, 6l behind Chartreux (10-13) at Warwick 2m NH flat (6) sft in Dec.
Caprysse (FR) 7-1 (10-12) Held up, headway to chase leaders over 3f out, weakened over 1f out, 5th of 11, 17l behind Sure Josie Sure (10-12) at Haydock 2m N H flat (5) hvy in Nov.