17:48 That's it from an action packed afternoon here at Stratford, a script even The Bard himself would have been pushed to come up with.
Our next scheduled action, forecast cold snap permitting, will be from Fairyhouse on Wednesday.
17:46 Yet again I am disproved with my view that bumpers are boring. Our bumper this afternoon was anything but.
Frascati Park was sent off the 6/5 favourite on his first appearance on a left handed course.
Sent off in the lead he soon had a commanding lead but was causing all sorts of problems for jockey Barry Connell on the bends.
Turning for home he completely blew the bend and it took all Mr Connell’s strength to get him round the bend. This gave Divy a good chance to close the gap.
A furlong out Connell had lost his whip and had both hands on the reign on the near side to just steer him inside the wing. At one point he had lost his reigns and was holding on to the neck strap.
Divy had every chance but Frascati Park was still running on, even without any help from his jockey and in a tight finish the favourite had the race by a neck.
Paddy the Pirate headed the bunch to take third.
How Frascati Park managed to get the race will be a mystery.
It will be even more of a mystery is he appears on a left handed course again.
17:15 Something of a farce at the start, with both Najca De Thaix and Humid Climate both refusing to start.
Of the remainder who did start Milton Des Bieffes set off in front and was never headed in the entire 2m 4f, although Michigan d’Isop did make him work for his corn in the closing stages in what turned out to be an exciting finish.
Tom Fontenailles was with the leader for most of the contest before beginning to tire as they turned for home and then fell at the second last when fourth.
Rash Moment, the 3/1 favourite, settled mid-division, ran on with an eye catching on to take third and with another 20 yards may have troubled the first two.
16:49 Our longest race of the afternoon for the fifth an extended 2m 6f conditional jockeys handicap hurdle.
Following a false start Glenda Hoddle took up the early running with the very well backed Gone Cloudy (25/1 into 8/1) keeping her company.
Tracking the front pair were Baker’s Girl, Definitely It and the favourite Paradise Expected.
The field were well bunched throughout the contest.
The well backed Gone Cloudy dropped out of contention like a plummeting stone as they crossed the mound for the final time, whilst at the same time Paradise Expected ran on to take up the running.
The only other runner to go with her was Bundle Up and turning for home it seemed the favourite was going to have battle.
However a great leap at the last sewed the race up for the favourite and she came home six lengths clear of Bundle Up.
There was a good battle for third place with Definitely It getting the better of a battle with Dew Drop In – the latter perhaps unlucky after being pushed for space as they turned for home.
16:13 A 2m 3f handicap hurdle for our fourth contest which was marred by the death of Archie Gunn who broke down after jumping the fourth, when in contention.
Milan Deus Mille set the pace for the first circuit until Bring It On Home took up the running along with Petrus De Sormain.
There wasn’t much jumping in the final stages as the third last was omitted due to damage and the final two flights were omitted due to the stricken Archie Gunn.
In what turned out to be a 6 furlong sprint for the line Petrus De Sormain was headed by both Mollys Garden and Blazing Desert, with the three passing the post in close order.
The favourite, Transvestite, was never in contention despite running on in the latter stages.
15:14 Plenty of drama in division two of the maiden hurdle.
Risk had put in a brave front running performance, pulling away from his field as they turned for home.
Approaching the last he had a ten length lead and the race was his for the taking but it isn’t called jump racing for nothing and he did not take off at the flight and came crashing down, doing several of his rivals little favours.
This left the favourite Ready To Crown in front. Jumping the last she had Sam Whiskey on her quarters.
A dour battle to the line with Sam Whiskey gaining with every stride. They crossed the line together and it took judge Di Clarke a while to give the race to the favourite.
Another stride and the result would have been different.
Deep Squeeze was four lengths back in third.
14:45 Division One of the 2m maiden hurdle got us under way.
Raincoat was a well backed favourite and was running around second place for most of the race.
Riddleofthesands was the pace setter and made every attempt to make it a pillar to post run.
Raincoat was in with every chance after the second last, by which point Izita Star had joined the front pair.
Izita Star needed a gap and swerved hard to the right, interfering with Raincoat and arguably baulking the favourites run. Having said that Izita Star was running on well and leapt into the lead at the last, running on well to record a 13 length victory, so it is arguable if the favourite would have won. Even without the bump.
Riddleofthesands came home second with the favourite third.
Just design’s race was very short with the gelding refusing at the first – having said that he had been on his toes in the parade ring.
13:41 Good afternoon from Stratford where the sun is trying to break through but there is a bit of a chill in the air.
We have one non-runner so far.
10:19 After our six out of seven at Huntingdon yesterday, here are this afternoon's selections:-
2:30 6 Raincoat
3:00 13 Ready To Crown
3:30 3 Restless d'Artaix
4:00 8 Transvestite
4:30 3 Paradise Expected
5:00 3 Silver Adonis
5:30 1 Frascati Park
09:53 After a clear night, with the slightest of frosts, the official going is Good
Return to race archive: |
Non-Runners
3:30
3 Restless d'Artaix (going)
5:00
13 Day Du Roy (going)
Results
2:30
1st 12 Izita Star 4/1
2nd 7 Riddleofthesands 14/1
3rd 6 Raincoat 10/11 fav
14 Ran
Distances 13 & 7
Fav third
Tote
Win £3.80
Places £1.50 £3.40 £1.10
Exacta £38.70
CSF £50.29
Time 3' 54.7"
3:00
1st 13 Ready To Crown 6/4 fav
2nd 10 Sam Whiskey 9/4
3rd 3 Deep Squeeze 16/1
14 Ran
Distances head & 4
Fav winner
Tote
Win £2.70
Places £1.20 £1.60 £3.30
Exacta £5.90
CSF £4.92
Time 4' 01.25"
3:30
1st 1 Oscar Bay 13/2
2nd 2 Crescent Island 2/1
4 Ran NR 1
Distances 10
Fav 4 Leading Contender 8/11 (3rd)
Tote
Win £5.80
Exacta £9.90
CSF £19.46
Time 4' 55.8"
4:00
1st 10 Mollys Garden 10/1
2nd 3 Blazing Desert 16/1
3rd14 Petrus De Sormain 18/1
15 Ran
Distances 1¾ & 1¼
Fav 8 Transvestite 9/4 (7th)
Tote
Win £13.50
Places £3.50 £4.80 £5.50
Exacta £185.30
CSF £149.64
Tricast £2,849.06
Time 4' 31.94"
4:30
1st 3 Paradise Expected 5/2 fav
2nd 5 Bundle Up 9/2
3rd 13 Definitely It 10/1
14 Ran
Distances 6 & 18
Fav winner
Tote
Win £3.50
Places £1.60 £2.10 £2.80
Exacta £15.10
CSF £13.41
Tricast £98.07
Time
5:00
1st 12 Milton Des Bieffes 20/1
2nd 8 Michigan d'Isop 9/1
3rd 10 Rash Moment 3/1 fav
12 Ran NR 13
Distances Neck & ¾
Fav third
Tote
Win £24.30
Places £5.70 £3.60 £1.60
Exacta £194.70
CSF £194.08
Tricast £700.95
Time 4' 56.7"
5:30
1st 1 Frascati Park 6/5 fav
2nd 11 Divy 7/1
3rd 4 Paddy the Pirate 100/30
14 Ran
Distances neck & 8
Fav winner
Tote
Win £2.30
Places £1.02 £2.40 £1.80
Exacta £11.60
CSF £10.20
Time 3' 53.1" |
