Racecards
14:30 Southwell
Happy 50th Birthday Andy Gardiner Handicap Chase (Class 3)
- 8 Runners
- Distance: 2m 4f 62y
- Going: Good to Soft (Good in places)
- Surface: Turf
- £10,400 added
- Winner: £6,758
- 2nd: £1,984
- 3rd: £992
- 4th: £496

- Form 1734/2-U
- Age 8
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 132
held up, mistake 2nd, not fluent 5th or 6th, headway 12th, weakened before 3 out

- Form 3PP2-61
- Age 8
- Weight 11-10
- Official Rating 130
- Trainer C E Longsdon
- Jockey Aidan Coleman
made all, clear before 3 out, jumped right 3 out, drifted right flat, unchallenged

- Form 141P1P-
- Age 7
- Weight 11-9
- Official Rating 129
- Trainer Miss E C Lavelle
- Jockey Adam Wedge
chased leaders, lost place 12th, pulled up after 4 out

- Form 52/10F-3
- Age 7
- Weight 11-6
- Official Rating 126
- Trainer A King
- Jockey Tom Cannon
held up in rear, hampered 10th, mistake and well behind from 4 out

- Form 65614-3
- Age 7
- Weight 11-6
- Official Rating 126
- Trainer Ian Williams
- Jockey C J Todd
chased winner, ridden and no impression before 3 out, plugged on

- Form 3685-11
- Age 6
- Weight 11-6
- Official Rating 126
- Trainer P & M Bowen
- Jockey James Bowen
mid-division, mistake 8th and pulled up straight away

- Form 221P/4P-
- Age 7
- Weight 11-3
- Official Rating 123
- Trainer D Skelton
- Jockey Harry Skelton
chased leaders, fell 10th

- Form 1615-44
- Age 8
- Weight 10-11
- Official Rating 117
- Trainer Mrs Caroline Bailey
- Jockey S Bowen
held up in rear, hit 11th, headway 4 out, disputing 2nd when mistake 3 out, no impression on winner, well held 3rd next
In depth
Verdict
Fortunes Hiding is on a hat-trick but has gone up a further 10lb since scoring by half-a-length at Ffos Las. Western Miller took advantage of a lenient mark at Stratford but has been raised 7lb and could face competition for the lead. Eyes Of A Tiger is also a front-runner and Midnight Maestro can take a hold so the race could be set up for the likes of Wolfcatcher and Al Shahir. MAJESTIC MOLL has undergone wind surgery since last in action. She has been pulled up in two of her last three runs but those races were in better company than this and she’s a useful mare when she gets her act together.
Formwatch
Eyes Of A Tiger (IRE) 13-8fav (11-7) Led, reminder after 4th, ridden and hard pressed when jockey unseated starting bend after last, at Cartmel 2m 1f hcp (3) gs in May.
Western Miller (IRE) 15-2 (11-8) Made all, ridden before joined last, stayed on to assert run-in, won at Stratford 2m 3f hcp (3) gd in Jun beating Blairs Cove (11-8) by 2 1/2l, 6 ran.
Majestic Moll (IRE) 7-1 (11-4) Chased leaders, slow 1st, 2nd and 3rd, lost place 12th, not fluent next, soon behind, pulled up before 3 out, at Cheltenham 2m 5f hcp lst (1) gd in Apr.
Midnight Maestro 9-2 (11-4) Raced keenly, chased leaders, went 2nd 6th until 9th, outpaced after 4 out, weakened from next, 3rd of 4, 27l behind Kentford Heiress (11-0) at Newton Abbot 2m 5f hcp (3) gd in Jun.
Wolfcatcher (IRE) 5-1 (11-12) Chased winner, until before 4 out, 2nd again and mistake next, lost 2nd between last 2, kept on same pace in 3rd, 3rd of 6, 8 1/2l behind Western Miller (11-8) at Stratford 2m 3f hcp (3) gd in Jun.
Fortunes Hiding (IRE) 11-10fav (11-8) Chased leaders, went 2nd 3 out, pecked next, challenged last, driven flat, led towards finish, won at Ffos Las 3m 1f hcp (4) gd in May beating River Of Intrigue (11-6) by 1/2l, 9 ran.
Al Shahir (IRE) 11-4 (10-6) Held up off the pace in 6th, tailed off 8th, pulled up before 3 out, at Newbury 2m hcp (3) gs in Nov.
Elkstone 8-1 (11-4) Held up, mistake 10th, progress 14th, outpaced 3 out, rallied 2 out, soon ridden, 4th and weakening when blundered last, broke blood vessel, 4th of 5, 15 1/2l behind Hepijeu (11-7) at Fakenham 3m hcp (3) gf in Jun.