Racecards
16:05 Towcester
Scotts Heavy Haulage (Ireland) Ltd Handicap Hurdle (Class 4)
- 9 Runners
- Distance: 3m
- Going: Heavy
- Surface: Turf
- £3,000 added
- Winner: £1,952
- 2nd: £573
- 3rd: £286
- 4th: £143
Bled (FR)
18- Form 25166P
- Age 6
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 105
- Trainer D McCain Jnr
- Jockey J Kington
chased leader to 5th, lost place before 8th, soon behind, tailed off when pulled up before 4 out
- Form 3-13048
- Age 6
- Weight 11-10
- Official Rating 103
- Trainer N P Mulholland
- Jockey R Greene
tracked leaders, lost place 7th, soon behind, tailed off when pulled up before 2 out
- Form 42-232
- Age 5
- Weight 11-10
- Official Rating 103
- Trainer N A Twiston-Davies
- Jockey P J Brennan
mid-division on inside, headway and in touch 7th, 6th and outpaced when mistake 4 out, ridden to chase leading pair after next, soon no impression and weakened, tailed off
- Form 6-438U3
- Age 5
- Weight 11-7
- Official Rating 100
- Trainer J W Mullins
- Jockey W P Kavanagh
tracked leaders on outside, went 2nd at 5th, led 4 out, driven and headed before 2 out, soon no chance with winner, plugged on
- Form 00P/6-61
- Age 11
- Weight 11-7
- Official Rating 93
- Trainer J A B Old
- Jockey J M Maguire
held up behind, headway on outside 8th, went 2nd 3 out, led going well before next, soon well clear, eased right down towards finish
- Form 35-537U
- Age 6
- Weight 11-6
- Official Rating 99
- Trainer N P Mulholland
- Jockey D C Costello
led to 4 out, soon outpaced, weakened from next, tailed off
Argentia
13- Form 00-054
- Age 6
- Weight 11-4
- Official Rating 97
- Trainer L Wadham
- Jockey A Thornton
mid-division in touch, tracked leading pair 6th, chased leader 4 out to next, soon weakened, behind when pulled up before 2 out
- Form 550240
- Age 9
- Weight 11-3
- Official Rating 96
- Trainer John Harris
- Jockey Matt Crawley
mid-division on outside, headway and in touch 8th, driven and outpaced 3 out, soon weakened, tailed off
- Form 42646/8
- Age 12
- Weight 10-0
- Official Rating 64
- Trainer M Scudamore
- Jockey C O'Farrell
held up in rear, struggling from 7th, soon lost touch, tailed off when clambered over 2 out, soon pulled up
In depth
Verdict
Round The Horn was winning for the first time in more than six years when scoring at Wetherby last Tuesday. Jim Old's 11-year-old carries a 7lb penalty here but has very few miles on the clock and should stay this longer trip. Hippodrome also tackles 3m for the first time and is gradually dropping to a more realistic mark, while Bled looks an out-and-out stayer but has rather gone off the boil since winning at Uttoxeter in November. Wood Yer has yet to prove he'll stay this far but has made the frame in all three starts over timber so far and probably has more scope than today's rivals. However, we just prefer SAPPHIRE ROUGE who plugged on at one pace when third over 2m4f here last time and gives the impression she'll enjoy a searching test of stamina.
Formwatch
Bled (FR) 11-1 (11-2) Tracked leaders, pushed along after 7th and towards rear, pulled up before 4 out, tailed off, in a race won by Beamazed (11-10) at Carlisle 3m nov hcp chs 0-115 (4) hvy, 8 ran.
Ban Uisce (IRE) 13-2 (11-1) Held up towards rear, behind 6th, never in contention, 8th of 14, 33l behind Tricky Tree (10-13) at Huntingdon 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-115 (4) gs.
Wood Yer (IRE) 6-1 (11-5) Mid-division, ridden along from 2nd, headway approaching 7th, chased winner after 3 out, weakened 2 out, 2nd of 15, 17l behind Najca De Thaix (11-7) at Leicester 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-110 (4) sft in Jan.
Sapphire Rouge (IRE) 20-1 (10-12) Chased leaders, lost place approaching 6th, no impression in 4th after 3 out, stayed on same pace from 2 out, went 3rd flat, 3rd of 10, 17l behind Bunglasha Lady (11-1) at Towcester 2m 3f mdn hdl (4) sft.
Round The Horn (IRE) 13-2 (10-8) In rear, raced wide, headway 4 out, led approaching 2 out, clear before last, kept on well, won at Wetherby 2m 6f hcp hdl 0-115 (4) sft beating Oniz Tiptoes (10-0) by 8l, 13 ran.
Aconitum (GER) 14-1 (10-12) Mistakes in rear, under pressure when blundered and unseated rider 10th, in a race won by Double Dizzy (11-7) at Wincanton 3m 1f hcp ch 0-110 (4) gs, 9 ran.
Argentia 7-2 (10-12) Led, went right 3rd, headed approaching 5th, chased leader until mistake 6th, soon behind, plugged on from next, 4th of 6, 19l behind Hazy Dawn (10-12) at Plumpton 2m mrs nov hdl (4) hvy.
Hippodrome (IRE) 33-1 (10-8) Mid-division, struggling after 3 out, 10th of 16, 22l behind Apache Chant (10-3) at Market Rasen 2m 5f cond hcp hdl 0-1115 (4) gd in Jan.
Star Time (IRE) 33-1 (10-4) Chased leaders until ridden and lost place after 5th, soon behind, tailed off, 8th of 13, well behind Jordan (11-2) at Folkestone 2m 6f hcp hdl 0-95 (5) sft.