15:55 That's it from Hereford, I'm now off to the car park to await a tractor to tow me out - can't really complain as this is the first time in 30 years of racegoing I have been bogged down in a car park.
Our next live coverage is from Leicester on Thursday, until then a very good evening.
15:49 So a bumper to finish off proceedings and my old adage of following those with racecourse experience again paid off with the first five home all having racecourse experience.
Although it must be said the 2/1 favourite Song Sung Blue only managed to finish a tired fourth.
Just An Ace, who also had experience, must have had a bad experience as he decided to plant himself at the start.
Dark Haven set the pace but faded as they turned for home and eventually finished last of the 14 who did run.
As they made the turn it looked as though Gratification was going to add to the Sherwood / Elsworth bonanza, but only managed to come home in second place.
The honours went to Swansbrook, trained by Alan King, who ran on well in the final stages to win by eight lengths.
The only previous winner in the field, Bella Haze, took third place.
15:23 Our final race over obstacles was another 2½ hurdle in which we saw an odds-on favourite take the spoils in the shape of Finney, trained by Oliver Sherwood and ridden by Dominic Elsworth, giving the trainer a treble and the rider a double.
Fredrico took a strong hold to lead in the early stages but was there under sufferance giving rider Derek Laverty a real handful.
Picture In The Sky tracked the leader, running more steadily. The favourite was settled mid-division in the early stages.
As they came down the back straight Finney ran on to take up the running and was never headed thereafter.
Penharold ran on to take the runners-up spot and Picture In The Sky held on to take third place.
Before taking the form at face value it needs to be borne in mind they went off at a very slow pace in the early stages.
14:52 Back to a mere 2½ miles for our fifth contest and a 15 runner handicap, it would have been an 18 runner event but for three non-runners, which is bad news for each way punters and, as it turned out backers of Golden Feather who came home fourth.
As is frequently the case with Pipe runners Bathwick Man set the pace, a position held until dropping out drastically two out.
Six Day War, who had been settled mid-division throughout, ran on to take up the running as they turned for home.
L ‘Eau Du Nil was the nearest challenger but was never going to be a serious challenger to the winner.
More of an eye catcher was I’m The Decider who ran on well in the final stages to grab second place, which must have been a surprise to his trainer Jonjo O’Neill, who when I spoke to him before the race said he thought the ground would be too soft.
Very interesting was the fourth placed Golden Feather, who came home fourth, however he seemed to have been given a very tender ride.
14:23 It is an afternoon for long distance races, this time another extended 3m 1f chase, in which seven went to post.
Alcatras was the hare on this occasion, a position he held until down the back straight for the final time.
The early stages were fairly uneventful apart from Mistanoora falling at the third, the first ditch.
The challenger to the front runner as he ceded the lead was Methodical, under Wilson Renwick, and once in front was never headed, recording a 3¾ length victory. Ya I Know, settled nearer last that first in the early stages, ran on to take the runners up spot.
Ammunition was very weak in the betting and finished third, whilst the favourite Young Lorcan tailed home last of the five finishers.
13:56 The third race was a 3¼ mile hurdle and the feeling before the race was it would be a war off attrition and so it proved to be.
The favourite Mr Maxim set the pace and led from the start until making a mistake three out, where he was headed by Tastes Like More, although to be honest even without the mistake the winner looked to be going best of all.
Also making eye catching progress was Rajam.
Turning for home Tastes Like More was extending her lead with every stride, whilst the favourite was starting to tire.
Coming to the last Tastes Like More’s only dangerw as in front of her and she put in a good jump, running on well to record a 13 length victory from Rajam with Little Rort a further 13 lengths back in third.
13:23 Another chase for our second contest, this time an extended 3m 1f chase with just the five runners.
Spare Cash was sent off the odds-on favourite but his race ended when pulled up and dismounted by Robert Thornton before the fourth. He was taken back to the stables in an equine ambulance.
This left Stop The Show and Lyes Green contesting the lead with Sir Peter and Will The Till following closely behind.
Nothing much happened until the 10th (the fence in the home straight) when Stop The Show slithered on landing leaving Lyes Green in front, although the remaining pair were on his quarters.
On the final circuit the three of them hacked around together although Lyes Green always had his nose in front. As they came out of the back straight Sir Peter was the first to wave the white flag leaving Lyes Green and Will The Till to fight it out.
As they entered the home straight Will The Till was on Lyes Green’s quarters but the grey seemed to have enough in the locker to keep the lead.
Putting in a better jump at the last Lyes Green had clear daylight. Will The Till again ran on but the line came in time.
12:51 Well a dramatic opening race here at Hereford and, unusually, we opened with a 2 mile chase.
Pret A Thou made all to claim a very convincing 21 length victory, but that only tells part of the story.
The first action came at the third where Gotontheluckyone proved to be a most inopportune named horse for 5ld claimer Keiran Burke as he took a crashing fall and was thrown into the ground. Burke was motionless for a while but did eventually walk away. At the same fence Stealing Moments made a mistake independently, unseating Nick Schofield, who in all honesty had no chance of keeping the partnership intact.
By the time they left the far side the field were well strung out. Jimmy Bedney fell when in second place three out, whether he would have won is open to debate.
Although the winner did win easily it was more of a battle for minor honours and the favourite Folie A Deux ran on to grab second spot on the line leaving Charming Oscar in third.
11:58 Good morning from Hereford where the sun is breaking through but it is very cold, the official going is Good to Soft, although considering my car is stuck in the mud in the car park I may disagree with that one.
We currently have eight non-runners, details on the right.
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Non-Runners
12:40
7 Five A Side (Going)
16 Marado (Not eaten up)
1:40
2 Boysterous (Lame)
3 Festival Flyer
2:40
7 Silver Adonis (Travel)
12 The Composer (Girth Gall)
17 Something Inside (Travel)
3:10
15 Prtit Fleur (Lame)
Results
12:40
1st 3 Pret A Thou 16/1
2nd 4 Folie A Deux 7/4 fav
3rd 10 Charming Oscar 8/1
14 Ran NR's 7 & 16
Distances 21 & head
Fav second
Tote
Win £21.30
Place £6.60 £1.10 £3.00
Exacta £68.90
CSF £43.28
Tricast £260.33
Time 4' 09.5"
1:10
1st 1 Lyes Green 3/1
2nd 5 Will The Till 15/2
5 Ran
Distances 2l
Fav 3 Spare Cash 8/11 (PU)
Tote
Win £3.10
Place £1.30 £2.20
Exacta £14.70
CSF £22.13
Time 6' 52.1"
1:40
1st 12 Tastes Like More 4/1
2nd 4 Rajam 13/2
3rd 10 Little Rort 10/1
10 Ran NR's 2 & 3
Distances 13 & 13
Fav 11 Mr Maxim 2/1 (4th)
Tote
Win £5.20
Place £2.00 £3.00 £3.00
Exacta £33.50
CSF £29.56
Time 6' 42.0"
2:10
1st 7 Methodical 12/1
2nd 3 Ya I Know 16/1
7 Ran
Distances 3 3/4
Fav 5 Young Lorcan 9/4 (last)
Tote
Win £8.90
Place £3.20 £5.70
Exacta £93.50
CSF £137.26
Time 6' 56.2"
2:40
1st 6 Six Day War 16/1
2nd 10 I'm The Decider 5/1
3rd 13 L'Eau Du Nil 8/1
15 Ran Nr's 7 , 12 & 17
Distances 3 1/4 & 1 1/4
Fav 3 Golden Feather 4/1 (4th)
Tote
Win £19.60
Place £4.50 £2.20 £4.00
Exacta £154.70
CSF £93.76
Tricast £703.58
Time 5' 00.8"
3:10
1st 7 Finney 8/13 fav
2nd 11 Penharold 16/1
3rd 12 Picture In The Sky 33/1
15 Ran NR 15
Distances 5 & 3/4
Fav winner
Tote
Win £1.70
Place £1.10 £3.10 £10.90
Exacta £16.60
CSF £11.92
Time 5' 13.9"
3:40
1st 10 Swansbrook 3/1
2nd 5 Gratification 5/1
3rd 2 Bella Haze 14/1
16 Ran
Distances 8 & 1 1/2
Fav 9 Song Sung Blue 2/1 (4th)
Tote
Win £4.10
Place £1.80 £2.30 £3.80
Exacta £30.70
CSF £19.38
Time 4' 04.0"
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