Racecards
13:20 Wincanton
Carling Novices' Hurdle (Class 3)
- 12 Runners
- Distance: 1m 7f 65y
- Going: Heavy
- Surface: Turf
- £11,500 added
- Winner: £7,473
- 2nd: £2,194
- 3rd: £1,097
- 4th: £549
Champagne Champ
115- Form /-
- Age 6
- Weight 11-2
- Trainer B R Millman
- Jockey L P Aspell
chased leaders, went 2nd briefly when mistake 2 out, 3rd and beaten before last, no extra flat
- Form 2870
- Age 6
- Weight 11-2
- Trainer A J Honeyball
- Jockey Aidan Coleman
mid-division, 9th and struggling after 3 out, soon well behind, mistake 2 out, tailed off
- Form 8
- Age 5
- Weight 11-2
- Trainer P Hobbs & J White
- Jockey T J O'Brien
held up towards rear, headway on outside after 4th, 5th after 3 out, soon weakened, tailed off
- Form -
- Age 5
- Weight 11-2
- Trainer N J Hawke
- Jockey Tom Cannon
held up towards rear, 7th and some headway after 3 out, went 2nd after 2 out, closed last, edged left flat, stayed on
- Form 3-44232
- Age 7
- Weight 11-2
- Official Rating 125
- Trainer C L Tizzard
- Jockey T Scudamore
chased leaders, went 2nd from 3rd, led before next, clear after 2 out until last, driven flat, stayed on
- Form 00
- Age 6
- Weight 11-2
- Trainer Nick Mitchell
- Jockey James Banks
took keen hold, led and clear, not fluent 2nd, mistake next, headed before 4th, soon weakened, mistake 3 out, pulled up before 2 out
- Form 97-70
- Age 6
- Weight 11-2
- Trainer Evan Williams
- Jockey Conor Ring
not always fluent, chased clear leader until 2nd, 6th after 3 out, soon weakened, tailed off
Pyrios (FR)
20- Form 6-440
- Age 5
- Weight 11-2
- Trainer P Hobbs & J White
- Jockey M G Nolan
held up towards rear, headway from 4th, 4th after 3 out, 5th and weakening when fell 2 out
- Form 2765
- Age 5
- Weight 11-2
- Trainer Noel Williams
- Jockey Thomas Garner
in rear, not fluent 2nd, remote 8th after 3 out, tailed off
- Form 04
- Age 5
- Weight 11-2
- Trainer M Scudamore
- Jockey Benjamin Poste
mid-division, not fluent 1st, tailed off 11th after 3 out
- Form 415/PP
- Age 8
- Weight 10-9
- Trainer N P Mulholland
- Jockey P K Donovan
in rear, well behind 10th after 3 out, tailed off, pulled up
Aardwolf (USA)
101- Form /-
- Age 4
- Weight 10-6
- Trainer W Greatrex
- Jockey R Johnson
chased leaders, went 2nd from the 2nd until 3rd, every chance before 2 out, 4th and weakening before last
Verdict
Molineaux is rated 125 and sets the standard in this on placed efforts in handicaps at Taunton and Ascot. However, he’s fully exposed and has been racing over longer trips in the main so could be vulnerable to an improver. The four-year-old Aardwolf has been ready to run for a while but has been thwarted by the weather. He won three times on the Flat for Mark Johnston though never beyond 7f. CHAMPAGNE CHAMP has won five of his 21 starts on the level. He has bags of stamina and handles heavy going so could be the value in this if his jumping is up to scratch. Le Musee has a smart pedigree and once changed hands for 300,000 euros but he only ran once for Andre Fabre and was sold for 3,000 euros in 2016.
Formwatch
Champagne Champ 5-1 (9-7) Close up, pushed along 5f out, headway to chase leaders over 1f out, stayed on to go 2nd near finish, 2nd of 7, 4 1/2l behind Moabit (8-10) at Salisbury 1m 6f hcp (3) sft in Oct.
East Wing (IRE) 40-1 (11-6) Always towards rear, reminders after 4th, tailed off, 11th of 13, dist behind Lisp (10-7) at Plumpton 2m (4) sft in Dec.
Hardness (IRE) 11-2 (10-12) In touch, outpaced 4 out, weakened before next, tailed off, 8th of 13, dist behind Marley Firth (10-12) at Chepstow 2m (4) hvy in Nov.
Le Musee (FR) (8-12) 6th of 11, 20 1/2l behind Friday Night Light (9-2) at Compiegne 1m 4f stks gs in Mar.
Molineaux (IRE) 9-2jfav (11-9) Tracked leaders, ridden to challenge after 3 out, kept on same pace approaching last, 2nd of 13, 8l behind Padleyourowncanoe (10-1) at Taunton 2m 3f hcp (3) sft in Dec.
Mr Magill (FR) 200-1 (11-4) Took keen hold, started off in rear, led 2nd, clear next, headed after 3 out, soon weakened, 10th of 14, dist behind Darcy Ward (11-4) at Taunton 2m 3f (4) sft in Jan.
Newquay Cards (IRE) 66-1 (10-12) Prominent, not fluent 4th, mistake next, soon lost place, well beaten 3 out, mistake 2 out, last of 10, dist behind Pointed And Sharp (10-12) at Worcester 2m (4) sft in Nov.
Pyrios (FR) 20-1 (11-5) Tracked leaders on inside, took keen hold, lost place after 3 out, 11th of 15, 35 3/4l behind Turtle Wars (11-5) at Huntingdon 2m mdn (4) sft in Jan.
Samson The Man 20-1 (11-4) Held up towards rear, took keen hold, headway after 3 out, no impression, well held 2 out, 5th of 14, 21 1/4l behind Darcy Ward (11-4) at Taunton 2m 3f (4) sft in Jan.
Turbotim (IRE) 33-1 (11-0) Towards rear, pushed along 4f out, went poor 4th over 2f out, one pace, 4th of 10, dist behind Dramatic Pause (11-0) at Chepstow 2m (6) hvy in Dec.
Attractive Liason (IRE) 33-1 (10-5) Behind, mistake 4th, weakened 3 out (usual 4 out), tailed off when pulled up before next (usual 3 out), at Exeter 2m 1f (3) sft in Nov.
Aardwolf (USA) 16-1 (9-2) Soon led, ridden and headed entering final furlong, no extra, 5th of 13, 2 1/4l behind Silvery Moon (9-2) at Pontefract 1m 2f hcp (4) sft in Oct.