Friday 21:03

The advance report is:-

Going

Good to Soft (GoingStick: Hurdle 6.3 Chase 6.8 on Thursday at 12:30)

Overnight the Hurdle rail has been moved in 3m all the way round the course. Chase rails have not been moved.

Dry last 24hr. Saturday- am overcast Sunny spells

08:50 It has been dry and cloudy overnight, so no frost worries this morning.

The official going is Good to Soft.

We currently have one non-runner.

Our selections are:-

11:54 Good morning from Newbury where the weather is overcast. There is a bit of a breeze which will be behind the runners as they come down the home straight.

A change of commentator today as yesterday's caller Mark Johnson heads for Kempton to be replaced here by Richard Hoiles.

13:15 I have just walked the final furlong of the course and the track has cut up really badly after yesterdays racing.

The ground is generally on the good side of good to soft, although there are also some softish patches as well.

13:59 Our opening contest is the extended 2m StanJames.com Supports Greatwood Novices’ Handicap Hurdle.

14:20 A good handicap hurdle to get us underway this afternoon and a good finish for the handicapper.

Freddie The Third attempted to make all but lost that spot two out as the cavalry charged.

Osric and Tail Of the Bank were the two to come clear with Arctic Ben in pursuit, all three having been settled mid-division or towards the rear before making their late challenges.

Osric and Tail Of the Bank battled to the line with the latter just having enough in hand to record a half-length victory.

Two lengths further back was the running on Arctic Ben, putting in good work in the closing stages but not being good enough to worry the front pair.

It was a further five lengths back to the favourite Acknowledgement, who looked to have every chance three out but then flattered to deceive.

Jonjo O’Neill’s Full Of Joy had attracted market support but was tailed off by half way, having been prominent early doors.  

14:55 The 3¼mile Blue Square Supporting Greatwood Veterans’ Handicap Chase was our second race and it is great to see these old timers.

Just because it is a veterans race over three miles plus does not mean we do not have an exciting finish.

We saw Eric’s Charm who had been prominent throughout clearing the last with Knowhere, the pair well clear of their rivals.

As they pulled clear of the last it could have gone either way but eventually, under a strong McCoy ride Eric’s Charm pulled clear to record a 2¼ length victory.

Dom d’Orgeval was 16 lengths further back in third.

Favourite Trabolgan was just behind the leaders for most of the contest before tiring in the latter stages.

Briery Fox was held up and was beginning to make progress when blundering nine out, effectively ending his chances and was eased thereafter.    

Bob Bob Bobbin was another prominent early on before dropping out and eventually pulling up.

15:28 Yet another good finish, this time in our feature contest the Raymond Mould Supports Greatwood Gold Cup Handicap Chase.

It ended up as a 1-2 for the Nicholls stable, although not in the way the betting suggested as Big Fella Thanks got the better of favourite Pasco after they crossed the last together.

The winner had been held up by Barry Geraghty before making progress as they turned for home.

By two out the pair were well clear and battle commenced.

The victory has seen Big Fella Thanks cut to favouritism for the Grand National.

16:02 Well the finishes are getting even tighter as Arctic Wings under 7lb claimer Lee Evans just gets his head in front on the line after managing to find the smallest of gaps against the rail.

Challenging two out the eventual winner looked beaten as Benfleet Boy under Tony McCoy and Nearby under Giles Hawkins pulled clear approaching the last.

Favourite Nearby looked to be getting the better of the battle as they came up the run-in but that was before Evans launched one final, decisive, rally.

Classic Dream had led for most of the contest before dropping out of contention three out.
Helen’s Vision was also to the fore before dropping out tamely.

16:35 Four runners over three miles in the Ultima Checkpoint Supporting Greatwood Novices’ Hurdle and yet another exciting finish.

Also something of a shock result as Be There In Five, from the Henderson stable, beat the favourite Aiteen Thirtythree from the Nicholls stable by a neck.

This despite some fairly indifferent jumping from the winner.

Thanks to the outsider No Rules the race was run at a decent pace and Be There In Five was in rear until making progress in the home straight.

At this point No Rules had paid the price for his front running and Aiteen Thirtythree had taken up the running.

Be There In Five was soon challenging and the two were soon well clear.

Coming to the last Be There In Five had a slight advantage and it looked as though Aiteen Thirtyfive was poised to challenge.

17:11 The biggest roar of the afternoon as AP McCoy, at his imperious best, drives favourite Wheels Up on the run-in to take the Crazy Larry’s Supporting Greatwood Novices’ Handicap Chase.

The grey Mister Wiseman set out to make all before dropping out of contention as they entered the home straight.

At which point Bormo swept to the front, with a comfortable lead.

However McCoy should never be discounted and it was clear he was biding his time as he tracked the leader.

On his quarters at the last, you were left with the impression McCoy was just toying with backers as he waited, then swept past the leader as they passed the elbow.  

Lordsbridge’s race lasted no longer than the first as he attempted to take the fence sideways with gravity doing the rest as Nick Schofield discovered Newton’s fundamental law.

Whimper was well named as he was soon tailed off and never in the race, finishing in his own time.

17:17 Our final contest has the biggest field of the afternoon, thirteen runners, as well as the longest race name, the David Richards Friends Support Greatwood Bumper Standard Open NH Flat Race (pause for breath) an extended two mile contest.

17:45 Well a full set of good finishes as the Paul Nicholls trained Rock On Ruby, ridden most appropriately by Ruby Walsh, pounced late to deny Karasenir, who looked to be the certain leader when hitting the front two furlongs out.

The favourite Blue Monster set the pace but when the race began to take shape in the closing stages the lead was soon forfeited.    

The all white and appropriately named The White Admiral was prominent throughout and plugged on to take third spot.

17:50 That’s it from a really good afternoons racing at Newbury. Seven races and seven very decent finishes.

Throw in one of the winners, Big Fella Thanks, being made the new favourite for the Grand National plus a textbook ride from McCoy and the modest crowd had an enjoyable pre-Festival afternoon.

Our next live coverage will be from Stratford’s first meeting of the year on Monday 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

16:20
5 Hurricane Electric (lame - SC 08:45)

Results

14:05 Handicap Hurdle 2m 110yds

1st 1 Tail Of The Bank 14/1
2nd 2 Osric 14/1
3rd 5 Arctic Ben 5/1
11 Ran
Distances ½ & 2
Fav 11 Ackmowledgement 7/2 (4th)
Tote
Win £15.40
Places £4.90 £2.90 £2.10
Exacta £190.20
CSF £191.32
Tricast £1,119.89
Time 3' 57.8"

14:35 Handicap Chase 3m 2f 110yds

1st 3 Eric's Charm 9/1
2nd 4 Knowhere11/1
3rd 7 Dom d'Orgeval 7/1
8 Ran
Distances 2¼ & 16
Fav 5 Trabolgan 2/1 (4th)
Tote
Win £6.10
Places £1.70 £2.70 £2.80
Exacta £33.40
CSF £90.22
Tricast £707.44
Time 6' 31.2"

15:10 Handicap Chase 2m 1f

1st  4 Big Fella Thanks 8/1
2nd 5 Pasco 5/2 fav
3rd 9 Au Courant 8/1
9 Ran
Distances 1 ½ & 6
Fav second
Tote
Win £9.30
Places £1.70 £1.60 £2.60
Exacta £31.40
CSF £28.72
Tricast £165.52
Time 4' 52.16"

15:45 Handicap Hurdle 2m 110yds

1st 8 Arctic Wings 13/2
2nd 6 Nearby 11/4 fav
3rd 1 Benfleet Boy 4/1
9 Ran
Distances Short head & neck
Fav second
Tote
Win £8.10
Places £2.30 £1.70 £1.90
Exacta £24.40
CSF £23.97
Tricast £77.54
Time 3' 59.4"

16:20 Novices' Hurdle 3m 110yds

1st 2 Be There In Five 3/1
2nd 4 Ainteen Thirtythree even fav
4 Ran Nr 5
Distances neck
Fav second
Tote
Win £3.50
Exacta £5.90
CSF £6.65
Time 5' 59.8"

16:55 Handicap Chase 2m 2f 110yds

1st 3 Wheels Up 15/8 fav
2nd 1 Bormo 5/1
7 Ran
Distances 2
Fav winner
Tote
Win £2.30
Places £1.80 £2.50
Exacta £7.20
CSF £11.40
Time  4' 31.0"

17:30 Open NH Flat 2m 110yds

1st  1 Rock On Ruby 4/1
2nd 13 Karasenir 4/1
3rd 10 The Whie Admiral 15/2
13 Ran
Distances 2¾ & 6
Fav 4 Blue Monster 15/8 (7th)
Tote
Win £4.40
Places £1.90 £1.70 £2.60
Exacta £19.60
CSF £18.82
Time 3' 57.9"