15:55 That's it from Leicester, where the bookies had a very good afternoon at a meeting where, at one point, it was touch and go if we would see completion.

Tomorrow we are at Huntingdon for the Peterborough Chase - weather permitting. Until then good evening.

15:48 Well a very interesting finish to our finale, a 2 mile conditional jockey’s hurdle.

It was also a finish which bought a smile to the bookies faces as another odds-on favourite failed to land the spoils.

Zahra’s Place was sent off the 4/7 favourite and was in with every chance when seemingly attempting to step over the  flight, rather than jumping it, and putting Alex Merriam on the deck, having just taken the lead from Double Hit.

Indeed the front running Double Hit was very lucky not to have been bought down and he did well to stay on his feet. He ran on to win by a length.

Covert Mission must be considered a very unlucky runner-up. First of all his saddle slipped as they ran down the far side. Then after making up ground he too suffered interference as a result of Zahra’s Place’s fall.

15:19 Sam Thomas is certainly having a mixed day. After falling on the odds-on favourite  in the first, winning the fourth he was on the odds-on favourite, Ping Pong Sivola, in the fifth. A 2 mile chase.

The first thing to stress is the partnership remained intact, however he could only manage second place, well beaten by the top weight Phar Again.

Guns Of Love was the pacesetter, well he shared the early pace with Devils River. They held the lead until they began the turn for home.

Devils River was the first to drop out, but Guns Of Love hung onto the lead a while longer.
Jack Doyle had kept Phar Again near the rear for most of the race. Sam Thomas by contrast had tracked the leaders on the favourite.

As they crossed the final open ditch turning for home Phar Again out jumped the favourite to take second.

Approaching the third last Phar Again was closing the gap on the leader, whilst the favourite was under pressure.

Come the second last Phar Again had a clear lead with Ping Pong Sivola in pursuit and Russian Flag running on into third.

The race was effectively over with Phar Again winning as he pleased by eight lengths from Ping Pong Sivola with Russian flag a further seven lengths back in third.

14:52 Our second chase, over 2m 7f, was something of a decimated affair with five of the original eleven declared runners failing to face the starter, included the one who would have been favourite, Borero.

The grey Joyrider and Jonny’s Kick set the pace, although it was a sedate one.

The pair were happy to hack around in front until the unlucky 13th fence. Well it was unlucky for Jonny’s Kick who fell and for Twilight Eagle, looking good in third, who lost momentum as a result of the faller. (Horse and jockey were both OK)

At the same fence the new favourite Zacharova, under Sam Thomas, out in a spectacular leap to join Joyrider in front.

Approaching the second last  Zacharova had a clear lead from Twilight Eagle, who was running on having recovered from the 13th fence incident.

At the last Twilight Eagle looked to have a chance but the favourite ran on well to win the race by 4½ lengths from Twilight Eagle and the running on Kitski back in third.

14:18 A 2m 4f hurdle for our third event and it was a strange race, where the runners came home well strung out.

There was also some tactical riding going on with Aidey Coleman taking a very tight, solo, inside line on Danse Macabre and it looked to be paying off as he was contesting the lead before tailing off three out.

Andrew Thornton on Deep Reflection set the pace and led until four out, although Snake Charmer, Pelo Du Bief and Danse Macabre did not allow him an easy lead.

Three out there were four who approached the flight almost in unison, Danse Macabre, Pelo Du Bief, Snake Charmer and the running on Midnight Chase.

Snake Charmer  blundered and unseated Charlie Poste at the third last when looking to be a serious contender.

This left the favourite Midnight Chase, under Robert Thorbton, to take the lead and he was never headed thereafter, although the running on duo of Deep Reflection, who seemed to find a second wind and Red Admiral, who ran on well from the rear, made sure the winner had to work for his prize.

13:43 Well we finally got underway with our second race some 20 minutes late.

A 2 mile hurdle this time and it was a reasonably close betting heat with Supsonic and Roisin’s Prince being sent off the 9/4 joint favourites.

The punters were pretty much spot on as these two were the two to take the first two places, with Supsonic, who had contested the lead throughout, getting the better of the running-on Roisin’s Prince by 3¾ lengths.

Beth’s Choice was the other one contesting the lead but he faded in the final stages.

Sandy’s Legend took third place with Kerayasi taking fourth. The latter looking to have every chance at the second last.  

13:51 Non-runners are coming through thick and fast - keep an eye on the right and I will try to keep pace with them.

Also all races have been put back 20 minutes.

13:43 Well we finally got underway with our second race some 20 minutes late.

A 2 mile hurdle this time and it was a reasonably close betting heat with Supsonic and Roisin’s Prince being sent off the 9/4 joint favourites.

The punters were pretty much spot on as these two were the two to take the first two places, with Supsonic, who had contested the lead throughout, getting the better of the running-on Roisin’s Prince by 3¾ lengths.

Beth’s Choice was the other one contesting the lead but he faded in the final stages.

13:28 Racing continues, however the turn out of the back straight is being widened to avoid a bare patch of track, considered dangerous by some jockeys.

13:14 This could be a very short meeting - there is currently an inspection taking place. It looks as though parts of the track still appears to be frozen.

12:58 Not the most exciting of openers, a 2m 4½f beginners chase.

Only four went to post with Quickbeam, under Sam Thomas,  sent off the 8/15 favourite.

Unfortunately what happened in the race will do nothing to get Sam’s detractors off his back as he fell at the 10th, when six lengths in front.

This left Au Courant, under AP McCoy and attempting to defy a 1,056 day layoff, and the outsider Idarah disputing the lead, with Mount Sandel apparently tired in third.

The pair stayed in unison until the second last when Idarah seemed to be running out of gas, leaving McCoy with a clear lead.

Mount Sandel ran on to take second place with Idarah virtually walking home a distant third.   

12:20 Good afternoon from a chilly Leicester where racing was given the go ahead after a 10:45 inspection.

The going is:-

Hurdle Course: Heavy
Chase Course: Soft, Good to Soft in Places

We have two non-runners

Return to race archive:

Non-Runners

12:50
4 Pass The Class (Lame -VC)

1:50
2 Make Haste (withdrawn - going)

2:20
1 Sprosser (going)
4 Borero (going)
5 Mage D'Estruval (going)
8 Darina's Boy (going)
11 Whitewater Dash (Bruised Foot - SC)

2:50
8 Shelomoh (going)

Results

12:50

1st 1 Au Courant 4/1
2nd 3 Mount Sandel 6/1
4 Ran NR 4
Distances 4l
Fav 5 Quickbeam 8/15 (Fell)
Tote
Win £3.60
Exacta £29.40
CSF £21.24
Time 5' 25.7"

1:20 (off 1:40)

1st 8 Supsonic 9/4 jf
2nd 3 Roisin's Prince 9/4 jf
3rd 4 Sandy's Legend 15/2
9 Ran
Distances 3 3/4 & 1 1/4
Fav winner & second
Tote
Win £4.00
Place £1.70 £1.20 £2.20
Exacta £10.20
CSF £7.44

1:50 (2:10)

1st 4 Midnight Chase 9/4 fav
2nd 1 Red Admiral 11/2
3rd 3 Deep Reflection 9/2
8 Ran w/d 2
Distances 3 1/2 & head
Fav winner
Tote
Win £3.30
Place £1.30 £2.70 £1.50
Exacta £16.70
CSF £14.48
Tricast £49.02
Time 5' 30.25"

2:20 (2:40)

1st 10 Zacharova 7/4 fav
2nd 9 Twilight Eagle 11/4
Ran NR's 1 , 4, 5 , 8 & 11
Distances4 1/2
Fav winner
Tote
Win £2.70
Place £1.60 £1.90
Exacta £9.30
CSF £7.25
Tricast £16.67
Time 6' 03.4"

2:50 (3:10)

1st 1 Phar Again 13/2
2nd 2 Ping pong Sivola 8/13 fav
3rd 4 Russian Flag 16/1
11 Ran
Distances 8 & 7
Fav second
Tote
Win £6.90
Place £1.70 £1.10 £2.90
Exacta £14.50
CSF £11.16
Tricast £61.94
Time 4' 08.4"

3:20 (3:40)

1st 3 Double Hit 14/1
2nd 2 Covert Mission 8/1
6 Ran
Distances 1l
Fav 1 Zahra's Place 4/7 (fell)
Tote
Win £10.40
Place £2.80 £2.80
Exacta £70.80
CSF £102.95
Time 4' 16.8"