Racecards
19:50 Stratford
George Jones Memorial Handicap Chase (Class 2)
- 8 Runners
- Distance: 2m 5f 110y
- Going: Soft (Good to Soft in places, Chase Course: Soft, Heavy in places)
- Surface: Turf
- Form 2140U4-
- Age 7
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 138
led 3rd, headed after 8th, weakened 10th
- Form 110531-
- Age 9
- Weight 11-9
- Official Rating 135
- Trainer D Pipe
- Jockey T Scudamore
mid-division, headway to track leaders 10th, chased leaders 3 out, weakening when mistake 2 out
- Form 1290/9F-
- Age 7
- Weight 11-4
- Official Rating 130
- Trainer Evan Williams
- Jockey Christian Williams
led, headed 3rd, led again after 8th, blundered 4 out, ridden and weakening when very tired and fell 2 out
- Form 13/314P-
- Age 9
- Weight 11-3
- Official Rating 129
- Trainer P Hobbs & J White
- Jockey R Johnson
held up towards rear, not fluent 9th, headway 12th, led approaching 2 out, left clear last
- Form U2151-U
- Age 7
- Weight 11-1
- Official Rating 127
towards rear, driven and headway 8th, ridden 11th, weakened next
- Form 744F69-
- Age 7
- Weight 10-13
- Official Rating 125
- Trainer J & A O'Neill
- Jockey A P McCoy
towards rear, some progress 10th, plugging on when mistake 3 out, left 2nd 2 out
- Form 037/104-
- Age 8
- Weight 10-7
- Official Rating 119
- Trainer A J Wilson
- Jockey Timmy Murphy
tracked leaders, lost place 7th, ridden and outpaced 11th, stayed on from 2 out
- Form 811571-
- Age 11
- Weight 10-4
- Official Rating 116
- Trainer J D Frost
- Jockey R Thornton
held up in touch, not fluent 5th, headway 11th, ridden and weakened 4 out, very tired when fell last
Verdict
Kisslain Des Galas is selected ahead of stablemate Whispered Secret, Matthew Muroto and Fool On The Hill. Kisslain Des Galas was successful six times in France, including on his latest start at Enghien in April, and one thing is for certain-he will relish the soft ground. At the age of nine he is hardly a purchase for the future, and David Pipe will no doubt make the gelding earn his corn. He looks to have been found a perfect opportunity to open his account on these shores, with none of his rivals lining up in the best of form, and it would be no surprise if his stablemate Whispered Secret were to chase him home under topweight. Matthew Muroto unseated at Uttoxeter recently and his best form has been on top of the ground anyway, while Fool On The Hill was pulled up when never going well at Ayr last time and is best watched. All in all, there are plenty of negatives about the opposition, but none yet at least for Kisslain Des Galas so the finger points to him.