Tuesday 20:31

Going

Good, Good to Soft in places , soft on the flat course crossings.
(GoingStick: 7.9 on Tuesday at 07:30)

1mm rain overnight.
Forecast- Tuesday light showers max temp 5c, night light rain min 2c.Wednesday dry max 4c.

No inspection planned at present unless temperatures fall below forecasted figures.

07:42 It has been dry overnight with temperature reaching 0 degrees. Forecast chance of sleety rain this morning followed by a dry afternoon.

Our selections are:-

09:38 We have two non-runners and it will be no surprise to know they are in the final race, what was a 17 runner handicap, now reduced to a 15 runner contest - just what each-way backers wanted.

13:18 Good afternoon from Leicester where the weather is snow showers, during which visability is terrible, so commentator Graham Goode may have some fun this afternoon.

13:34 A non-runner in the opener, Aldiruos is out and guess what the other 16 runner handicap is now 15 runners.

13:58 An all chase card here this afternoon and our opening contest is the extended 2½ mile Ladbrokes.com Wren Handicap Chase, now a 15 runner contest with the defection of Aldiruos.

One that caught the eye in the parade ring was Wonderwinder, who is absolutely huge.

14:30 Joint favourite Grand Bay was first past the post in the opener but backers were not cheering as he crossed the line without the champion jockey AP McCoy on his back, having unshipped him at the eighth fence.

Backers of the other joint favourite, Runshan, were not cheering either as after sharing the lead for most of the contest, faded badly to come home only ninth.

The other front runner, Irish Guard, also paid the price for setting the pace, finishing a place in front of Runshan.

Conditions here are very testing and this will be a day for staying plodders who pace themselves.

This is exactly what Paddy Brennan did on Tom George’s Cesium. Settled just behind the pace he did not chase the leaders as they pulled away turning for home and the tactic paid off as with his steady pace he passed the tiring front runners and soon established an unassailable lead, coming home nine lengths clear of his rivals.

14:32 Next up is the Ladbrokes.com Cottesbrooke Novices’ Chase in which eight line up for the 2m contest.

14:54 Fighting Chance is normally a front runner but was initially usurped in that position by Jim Tango in the Red Rum colours.

It wasn’t until after the third that Fighting Chance hit the front. It was soon a two horse race as the favourite Wheels Up, who was second to Fighting Chance last time out at Newbury.

Turning for home it looked as though we would have a decent race on our hands but as they came down the home straight the further they went the further Fighting Chance pulled clear, eventually coming home seventeen lengths clear of Wheels Up.

Wheels Up was, in turn, nine clear of the third.

We actually had a decent battle for third spot with the two greys Approved Force and Radius Bleu making a good fist of it, with the former coming off the better of the pair.   

14:57 Our feature contest next the Ladbrokes.com Trial Handicap Chase over the extended 2m 7f with nine going to post.

The missing runner is the top weight Gaora Lane.

15:29 A well backed favourite in our feature contest and Plum Pudding delivers the goods, although he had to fight off the challenge of stablemate Cousin Nicky giving Giles Smyly a very good day at the office.

Cousin Nicky was to the fore throughout, sharing the lead with Bubble Boy, although by the end of the back straight for the final time there were five runners almost abreast in front.

However turning for home the whole complexion of the contest changed with Plum Pudding being taken clear by Liam Treadwell. Cousin Nicky and Marcus set off in pursuit and these three were well clear of the remainder.

By three out Plum Pudding looked home and hosed, however David England on Cousin Nicky was not going down without a fight.

Plum Pudding Still had a five length lead at the last but on the long run-in Cousin Nicky was slowly closing the gap and by the time the line came Plum Pudding only had a ¾ length advantage.

Marcus came home third, 13 lengths behind the front pair.

15:59 Finally a cracking finish as Moulin De La Croix and Devils River crossed the line locked together.

The pair dominated the early stages of the contest until Laharna separated the pair after the sixth.

The three were still dominant three out at which point Moulin De La Croix had the advantage and Devils River looking beaten.

However by two out Devils River had regained the lead and seemed to be pulling away.

Devils River jumped the last a couple of lengths clear but on the run in Moulin De La Croix mounted a final charge.

Coming to the line Devils River looked to have the advantage but Moulin De La Croix was upsides.

First impression was Moulin De La Croix’s challenge was just too late but the camera decided otherwise with Moulin De La Croix being given the verdict by a nose.

Laharna was third.

16:32 A most facile win in the Hunters’ Chase as the favourite Lisadell King came home 29 lengths clear of his rivals, ridden by his 61 year-old owner/trainer Godfrey Maundrell.

It was a very slowly run contest, no surprise considering the conditions. However despite the desperately slow pace Oscar D’Angron was soon tailed off and plodding along at his own pace.

Jimmys Duky was setting the “pace” up front with Belligerent (who was just that coming out onto the course as they went down) and Hiho Silver Lining, with the favourite settled nearer last than first.

By the time they turned for home it was all change up front with L’Homme Sauvage  taking up the running from Belligerent and Lisadell King.

By two out the lead had chaned agai as Belligerent and Lisadell King jumped upsides and by the time they came to the last it was race over as Lisadell King drew further clear with every stride.

There was a good battle for third as the fast finishing Shraden Edition just headed L’Homme Sauvage on the line.

16:39 Our final contest is the extended 2m 7f Ladbrokes.com Vicarage Handicap Chase.

Two big negatives as they go down Wherrimon and Killfinnan Castle were both very muleish.

17:00 Well it’s a funny old game. Wherrimon was a right so-and-so  going to the start and probably would not have gone down had the favourite Sir Punjabi not gone back and given him a lead.

It also showed there is no justice in life. Sir Punjabi’s reward for being the good Samaritan was to make a blunder at the third which resulted in his rider Leighton Aspell losing his irons, losing a huge amount  of distance. He did carry on but was so far behind as they passed the post for the first time Aspell pulled him up.

Up front Gerrard, Furze Hill and Jacksons Pier were taking turns in the lead with the recalcitrant Wherrimon tracking the front three.

Half way down the home straight only Gerrard of the front runners was in contention, but the challenger was – yep you have guessed – Wherrimon.

By two out Wherrimon was in front and, bar jumping errors, was going to win. Of course he jumped fluently and in the space of ten minutes Wherrimon changed from villain to hero.

Gerrard held on for runners-up spot with Millarky, who was running on best of all at the end, taking third.

17:03 Well that's it from Leicester, where the weather behaved all afternoon.

Not the best afternoon's racing we will see this year but a good half-term crowd with plenty of families enjoying the action.

From Leicester a very good afternoon.

Return to race archive:

Non-Runners

The time in brackets is the time the horse was officially declared a non-runner.

SC - Self Certificate
VC - Vet's Certificate

Non-runners

14:10
15 Aldiruos (going - 13:28)

15:10
1 Gaora Lane (withdrawn)

15:40
3 Machu Picchu (going - 14:32)

16:40
2 Man Of The Moment (cut leg - SC 07:29)
12 Constantious (going - 15:25)
16 Isaac Butt (sore - SC 01:35)

Results

14:10 Handicap Chase 2m 4f 110yds

1st 14 Cesium 9/1
2nd 12 Thedreamstillalive 14/1
3rd 5 Massini Sunset 25/1
15 Ran Nr 15
Distances 9 & 1½
Favs 4 & 11 5/1 (9th & UR)
Tote
Win £12.00
Places £3.10 £5.20 £6.20
Exacta £174.30
CSF £111.46
Tricast £2,986.46
Time 5' 24.9"

14:40 Novices' Chase 2m

1st 3 Fighting Chance 10/3
2nd 6 Wheels Up 11/4 fav
3rd 1 Approved Force 9/1
8 Ran
Distances 17 & 9
Fav second
Tote
Win £4.20
Places £1.90 £1.60 £2.80
Exacta £7.20
CSF £12.58
Time 4' 04.6"

15:10 Handicap Chase 2m 7f 110yds

1st 9 Plum Pudding 2/1 fav
2nd 8 Cousin Nicky 12/1
3rd 3 Marcus 15/2
9 Ran Nr 1
Distances ¾ & 13
Fav winner
Tote
Win £3.30
Places £1.50 £2.90 £2.20
Exacta £24.30
CSF £24.65
Tricast £146.27
Time 6' 07.16"

15:40 Handicap Chase 2m

1st  6 Moulin De La Croix 8/1
2nd 11 Devils River 15/2
3rd 9 Laharna 13/2
10 Ran Nr 3
Distances nose & 6
Fav 4 Pistolet Dove 11/8 (5th)
Tote
Win £8.70
Places £2.60 £2.50 £2.30
Exacta £64.50
CSF £63.66
Tricast £413.61
Time 4' 12.0"

16:10 Hunters' Chase 2m 4f 110yds

1st 4 Lisadell King 13/8 fav
2nd 7 Oscar D'Angron 10/1
3rd 3 L'Homme Sauvage 12/1
8 Ran
Distances 29 & head
Fav winner
Tote
Win £2.90
Places £1.20 £3.50 £3.00
Exacta £18.30
CSF £17.17
Time 5' 29.3"

16:40 Handicap Chase 2m 7f 110yds

1st 5 Wherrimon 12/1
2nd 9 Gerrard 8/1
3rd 14 Millarky 15/2
14 Ran Nr's 2, 12 & 16
Distances 7 & 7
Fav 13 Sir Punjabi 5/1 (PU)
Tote
Win £14.70
Places £5.40 £2.60 £4.10
Exacta £106.70
CSF £102.66
Tricast £780.62
Time 6' 11.6"