Racecards
16:00 Taunton
Taunton Racecourse Seminar Centre Novices' Handicap Chase (Class D)
- 10 Runners
- Distance: 2m 3f
- Going: Good to Soft, Good in places
El Blade
15- Form 2151/45
- Age 7
- Weight 11-12
- Trainer B G Powell
- Jockey A P McCoy
chased leader, blundered 2nd, close up when fell 9th
- Form 131223
- Age 8
- Weight 11-9
- Trainer J White
- Jockey D R Dennis
held up in mid-division, headway 10th, led 4 out, pecked 3 out, ridden clear last, all out flat
Mallory
57- Form 112P4F
- Age 10
- Weight 11-5
- Trainer T R George
- Jockey J M Maguire
held up towards rear, mistake 4 out, one pace
Bronzesmith
15- Form 452PB4
- Age 8
- Weight 11-4
held up in mid-division, ridden 4 out, soon weakened, pulled up before 3 out
- Form 06P42-0
- Age 7
- Weight 10-6
- Trainer S Burrough
- Jockey R Greene
led, ridden 8th, headed 4 out, outpaced 3 out, stayed on one pace
- Form 26040-0
- Age 5
- Weight 10-0
slowly into stride, mistake 7th, soon no chance
- Form 1/PFU-00
- Age 7
- Weight 10-0
prominent, hampered 9th, ridden after 4 out, challenged and every chance 3 out, not fluent 2 out, not quicken flat
L'orphelin
81- Form 0/P04-PU
- Age 9
- Weight 10-0
- Trainer C L Tizzard
- Jockey K Burke
held up in mid-division, mistake 3rd, jumped left and saddle slipped briefly 4th, headway 9th, jumped left 4 out, ran on well from last, nearest finish
- Form 1FP0P5
- Age 6
- Weight 10-0
- Trainer S Burrough
- Jockey T Doyle
always towards rear, ridden 8th, soon weakened
In depth
Verdict
Stocks 'n Shares, El Blade and Punchy are the three to concentrate on and we give narrow preference to the latter. The selection from the Martin Pipe yard was well beaten behind Therealbandit at Cheltenham last time, but faces nothing of that quality here and he has shown enough prior to that run to make him a leading player here. The booking of AP McCoy would suggest that he is more fancied than the other Pipe runner El Blade, and although El Blade has shown a consistent level of form, the best he can realistically hope for is a place. Stocks 'n' Shares is the main danger to our choice as this mare has been running well all season, but he was well beaten behind Time To Shine at Folkestone last time, and he may be worth taking on again. Of the rest, Mallory is from a yard in form so could be interesting if he is supported in the market, but Punchy is a game and consistent sort and gets the vote.