21:34 and that's it from Kempton where the bumper eight race card was run in dry conditions, although the crowd was not that big.
Our next coverage is from Redcar on Friday, until then it is goodnight from Kempton Park.
21:25 An eight race card and from a viewing perspective the best was left to last and it wasn’t even a handicap.
With a proverbial charge to the line it really was a blanket finish and even though I was standing virtually on the line I managed to call it wrong.
It was also a rough race.
At the finish a wall of horses crossed in unison and first viewing suggested that Royal Encore may just have held on from the running on Charming Escort, Harting Hill and Karate Queen.
However once Di Clarke dissected the photograph the verdict was given to Charming Escort by a nose with Royal Encore a short head in front of the third, Harting Hill.
A cracking finish and judging from the cheers the 20/1 winner was not unbacked.
21:04 Almost there just one race left.
20:58 They say fortune favours the brave and that was particularly apt in our seventh race as Alan Munro spotted the smallest of gaps by the far rail and launched Countdown with a blistering run. As in the earlier race from the side it looked as though the cap was going to slam shut but on the head on it was enough and he ran out a well deserved length winner.
It was much closer for second and it took Di Clarke a couple of minutes to decide that Credit Swap had just got the better of Gap Princess on the line.
Long time leader Southandwest was fourth.
To be honest this isn’t a race for future reference with several of the runners taking a strong hold.
Favourite Rambling Light was disappointing.
20:49 It is getting even quieter outside – even the bookmakers are giving up with only six left now.
20:26 yet another six furlong handicap and a furlong out the handicapper must have been quietly smiling to himself as the field were well bunched and it was nigh on impossible to call the winner.
In the early stages the veteran Currency and Planet Queen shared the lead but turning for home the field bunched and it looked as though we were destined for a tight finish.
In reality the close finish was not to happen as Hurricane Coast, a disappointing fifth here two days ago, came from the pack under Tony Culhane. The favourite Musical Script tried to give chase but never challenged the leader and he, in turn, was clear of the third Nawaaff.
19:58 All the “fun” in this race came before they set off when he favourite Whatyouwoodwishfor refused to enter the stalls, being priced at 5/2 that resulted in a whopping 25p rule four.
Simple Rhythm set the pace whilst the two Richard Hannon runners Victoria Sponge and Count Almaviva (the favourite by default following the withdrawal) were towards the rear.
As they entered the home straight Simple Rhythm and All Spin were still sitting there waiting to be shot at and, sure enough, the cavalry came.
With a massive charge up the home straight it was Victoria Sponge who rose to the occasion beating Five Star Junior by a head in a driving finish.
Ray Of Joy ran on to take the minor honours and Cumana Bay only finished fourth, unable to run on when asked by Richard Hughes.
Simple Rhythm could be considered unlucky as he was pulled up when his saddle slipped - whether he would have won is open to debate.
19:27 Race four and half way through the card. The Queen’s History Lesson was sent off the very well backed 6/5 favourite and it looked as though we were possibly going to have a royal winner as a gap appeared on the far rail and Richard Hughes took full advantage launching a good run.
However a couple of horse widths further out Neil Callan was also launching a run at the same time on Markyg and battle was joined with Markyg just claiming the race by half a length.
The pair were two lengths clear of the third placed Duar Mapel, a nice 100/1 touch for each-way backers, who had led turning for home.
18:54 Back to six furlongs for our third event and a muddling sort of race.
There were four in line as they turned for home, River Style (who had been the early pacesetter), Key To Love, Identity and Sienna Lake. Yet none of the four went on to win the race.
The winner was Riflessione, taken into the lead by Liam Keniry over a furlong out. Eddie Ahern came with a challenge against the rail on Hosanna and from the side on it appeared he had nowhere to go and he may have been unlucky. However looking at the head on the gap was there had the runner up been good enough, so no hard luck story after all.
The favourite, Night Seed under Richard Mullen took the third spot.
18:43 It seems the football may be having an impact tonight, a very small crowd tonight even my Kempton mid-week standards and the seven bookies standing aren’t exactly being rushed off their feet.
18:26 Another attempt at a front running performance in the second division of the mile and a half handicap.
This time the front runner was the 40/1 outsider Rosie Dawn and she fared better than the front runner in our first as she was not headed until the final furlong.
Interestingly the horse that headed her, Well Informed, was stone last as they passed the pole the first time.
Dean McKewan also had to bring the winner very wide turning for home, so all in all a very impressive run from the winner.
There was a battle for third place with Prince Of Medina just getting the better of Ocean Avenue in a photograph.
Mention should also be made of the third as he was second last passing the finish first time around so his performance was almost as impressive as the winners.
Autograph Hunter was virtually pulled up in the home straight.
17:58 A divided mile and a half handicap to get us underway on our marathon eight race card.
Split The Wind attempted to make all, at one point a good five lengths ahead, a tactic that worked for a mile and a quarter, after which the filly dropped back into sixth place.
The pace setter was tracked by Shandelight and Mayadeen and it wass these two who battled it out in the final stages – actually battled it out is rather generous as once Jamie Moriarty got Mayadeen’s head in front the contest was over. Shoouldntbethere, who led briefly, had nothing more to offer and had to settle for the runners-up spot, two and a quarter lengths ahead of the running on Eddie Dowling in third.
The grey Silver Surprise, who had a bad start and was in rear for most of the early stages, was an eye-catching fourth.
16:40 Good afternoon from Kempton, where the weather is overcast and the temperature mild. There are some showers forecast but not too many grey clouds around at the moment.
The official going is Standard and we currently have eleven non-runners.
It will be interesting to see how big a crowd we have this evening, bearing in mind England are in World Cup qualifying action.
13:17 With still well over four hours to the first race there are already a number of non-runners, at least one in every race.
Details on the right.
Return to race archive: |
Non-Runners
5:50
8 Linby (travel)
13 High Coincidence (lame)
6:20
10 Bobal Girl (lame)
11 Epsom Salts (Temperature)
6:50
5 Courageous Nature (not eaten up)
7:20
2 Charlie Smirke (bad scope)
7:50
9 Whatyouwoodwishfor (refued to enter stalls)
10 Spinight (coughing)
8:20
2 Duke Of Milan (pricked foot)
6 Gower Belle (not eaten up)
8:50
3 Naughty Frida (temperature)
9:10
4 Bad Moon Rising (temperature)
Results
5:50
1st 7 Mayadeen 6/1
2nd 3 Shouldntbethere 11/2 fav
3rd 11 Eddie Dowling 7/1
12 Ran NR's 8 & 13
Distances 1 3/4 & 2 1/4
Fav second
Tote
Win £7.70
Place £2.40 £2.90 £2.90
Exacta £50.30
CSF £37.03
Tricast £235.83
Time 2' 35.38"
6:20
1st 12 Well Informed 11/2
2nd 14 Rosy Dawn 40/1
3rd 9 Prince Of Medina 11/1
12 Ran NR's 10 & 11
Distances 1 & 2 1/2
Fav 7 Easy Dreaming 7/2 (Upl)
Tote
Win £7.90
Place £2.20 £10.30 £3.30
Exacta £267.90
CSF £220.83
Tricast £2,354.97
Time 2' 36.61"
6:50
1st 3 Riflessione 6/1
2nd 2 Hosanna 10/1
3rd 8 Night Seed 9/4 fav
11 Ran NR 5
Distances 1 1/2 & neck
Fav third
Tote
Win £7.10
Place £1.90 £1.80 £1.40
Exacta £62.30
CSF £61.86
Time 1' 13.64"
7:20
1st 9 Markyg 4/1
2nd 7 History Lesson 6/5 fav
3rd 4 Duar Mapel 100/1
13 Ran NR 2
Distances 1/2 & 2
Fav second
Tote
Win £4.60
Place £1.50 £1.30 £20.20
Exacta £11.60
CSF £8.64
Time 1' 41.03"
7:50
1st 7 Victoria Sponge 9/2
2nd 8 Five Star Junior 16/1
3rd 5 Spit And Polish 5/1
11 Ran NR 10 w/d 9
Distances Head & 1 3/4
Fav 9 Whatyouwoodwishfor 5/2
(Refused to race)
Tote
Win £4.80
Place £2.30 £2.60 £1.30
Exacta £49.50
CSF £41.66
Tricast £ 158.83
Time 1' 13.42"
Rule 4 deduct 25p in the pound
8:20
1st 10 Hurricane Coast 9/2
2nd 1 Musical Script 4/1 fav
3rd 9 Nawaaff 8/1
10 Ran NR's 2 & 6
Distances 1 3/4 & 1 3/4
Fav second
Tote
Win £6.10
Place £2.80 £1.80 £3.60
Exacta £25.90
CSF £23.20
Tricast £143.94
Time 1' 12.84"
8:50
1st 1 Countdown 12/1
2nd 5 Credit Swap 5/1
3rd 11 Gap Princess 11/2
13 Ran NR 3
Distances 1 & short head
Fav 4 Rambling Light 4/1 (Upl)
Tote
Win £13.5
Place £3.40 £2.60 £2.50
Exacta £156.50
CSF £78.01
Tricast £399.70
Time 1' 26.00
9:20
1st 1 Charming Escort 20/1
2nd 3 Royal encore 8/1
3rd 7 Harting Hill 11/2
13 Ran NR 4
Distances Nose & short head
Fav 5 Ceili Mor 100/30 (Upl)
Tote
Win £32.70
Place £6.00 £3.50 £2.70
Exacta £215.20
CSF £184.98
Time 1' 40.50" |
