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15:50 Wincanton

Carling Handicap Chase (Class 3)

  • 7 Runners
  • Distance: 2m 5f
  • Going: Soft
  • Surface: Turf
Weighed In
  • Winning Time: 5m 27.20s
  • 7 Ran
1
Silk - Dark Blue, Pink and Dark Blue hooped sleeves, Pink cap

Ghadames (FR)

117 BFD
8/1
  • Form 030-165
  • Age 12
  • Weight 11-12
  • Official Rating 129

held up last, lost touch 8th, pulled up before 9th

2
Silk - Light Blue, Maroon chevron, halved sleeves, Light Blue and Maroon quartered cap
14/1
  • Form 000-4F3
  • Age 8
  • Weight 11-7
  • Official Rating 124

tracked leaders, reminders after 3rd, lost touch 7th, pulled up before 9th

6
Silk - BEIGE and EMERALD GREEN check, BEIGE sleeves

Christopher

21 BFDC
3/1
  • Form 7-0P43F
  • Age 9
  • Weight 11-0
  • Official Rating 117

prominent, went 2nd 13th, challenged, every chance 3 out, mistake 2 out, no extra

7
Silk - Purple, Gold braid, Scarlet sleeves, Black velvet cap, Gold fringe

First Love

20 D
5/2
  • Form P/76-911
  • Age 10
  • Weight 10-11
  • Official Rating 114

led 1st, jumped well throughout, quickened on bit approaching 4 out, ridden 3 out, headed last, rallied, led close home

8
Silk - RED, LIGHT BLUE chevron, ORANGE cap

Mark Equal

40 D
15/2
  • Form 43324P
  • Age 10
  • Weight 10-8
  • Official Rating 111

prominent, ridden 13th, soon weakened, pulled up before 3 out

9
Silk - ROYAL BLUE, EMERALD GREEN sash, WHITE cap, ROYAL BLUE star
  • Form 46/1623
  • Age 9
  • Weight 10-8
  • Official Rating 111

held up towards rear, ridden 12th, headway after 4 out, challenged 2 out, slight lead last, hard ridden, headed close home

10
Silk - Orange, Emerald Green and Orange hooped sleeves
  • Form F11P43
  • Age 9
  • Weight 10-7
  • Official Rating 110

with leader, ridden before 4 out, soon weakened

3
NR
  • Form 1/12-1U6
  • Age 8
  • Weight 11-3
  • Official Rating 120

Nonrunner

4
NR
  • Form F35U14
  • Age 7
  • Weight 11-2
  • Official Rating 119

Nonrunner

5
NR
  • Form 41443/1-
  • Age 8
  • Weight 11-1
  • Official Rating 118

Nonrunner

In depth

Verdict

First Love continues to make up for lost time and can make it three on the bounce, with Sento, Christopher, East Lawyer and Team Tassel just a few dangers in a fairly open contest. If we take First Love out of this, we are left with a very hard race to solve, but the inclusion of Nicky Henderson's 10-year-old makes it a little easier to pinpoint the winner. Highly rated a few seasons ago, he had been off the track since enduring a hard race at Perth in 2003, and after being very patiently handled, was brought back to score in hunter chase company at Sandown in February. He then lined up in the Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Memorial Hunters' Chase at the Esher track three weeks ago and came home a distance clear of his nearest rival, with Jamie Snowdon in the plate again. He remains on a mark of 114 for this venture into handicap company and appears leniently treated, so is the one to be on. Sento has been absent since landing a novices' chase at Exeter in May 2004 and has a history of minor leg problems, but if he can be kept sound is one to note for the remainder of the season. Christopher was held when falling at the last here three weeks ago and will need to jump better if he is to get those losses back. In addition he is no good thing to turn the tables on East Lawyer for an earlier defeat at the hands of that rival over the course-and-distance. Team Tassel needs to improve as do the fortunes of his stable, and so First Love would appear to have the best credentials of all.

Formwatch

Ghadames (FR) 7-2fav (11-1) Chased leader after 2nd, led 4th, clear after next, ridden and headed approaching last, weakened quickly, 5th of 10, 14l behind Sunisa (11-1) at Haydock 2m cnd hcp hdl 0-110 (E) sft in Dec.

Team Tassel (IRE) 12-1 (11-4) Led to ridden, headed 12th, pecked badly 3 out, one pace from 2 out, 3rd of 8, 25l behind Commercial Flyer (11-4) at Taunton 2m 7f beg chs (4) gs in Feb.

Christopher 7-4fav (11-6) Raced wide throughout, headway 4 out, every chance 2 out, one length down when fell at the last in race won by No Visibility (11-4) at Wincanton 2m 5f hcp chs 0-125 (3) sft, 8 ran.

First Love 15-8jt-fav (12-3) Made all, not fluent 4 out, in command before 2 out, clear and kept on strongly before last, driven out, won at Sandown 3m hts chs (4) sft beating Oracle des Mottes (11-7) by a distance, 6 ran.

Mark Equal 5-1 (11-5) In touch, hit 10th, ridden 5 out, weakened after 4 out and pulled up 2 out in race won by Spectrometer (11-6) at Wincanton 2m 5f hcp chs 0-130 (3) sft in Feb, 7 ran.

Wicked Nice Fella (IRE) 5-4fav (10-12) Disputed lead, hit 7th, weakened after 3 out, last of 6, well behind Migwell (10-12) at Huntingdon 2m 4f nov chs (D) gd in Dec.

East Lawyer (FR) 11-4 (11-6) Always in rear, 4th of 7, 28l behind Spectrometer (11-6) at Wincanton 2m 5f hcp chs 0-130 (3) sft in Feb.

Sento (IRE) 7-2 (11-2) Jumped well, held up in touch, smooth headway to lead 4 out, clear 2 out, easily, won at Exeter 2m 7f nov chs (E) gd in May '04 beating Lou Du Moulin Mas (11-1) by 10l, 6 ran.