17:20 That’s it from Sedgefield, where the sun has disappeared behind some dark grey clouds and hopefully racegoers heading southbound are using the A19 and avoiding the still closed A1M.
I don’t think anybody will pretend this afternoons racing has been the best that will be seen this season, but it was still enjoyable.
Tomorrow we are back to the flat and an eight race card from Newcastle, first race 1:40. Until then a very good afternoon.
17:14 Finally some front running tactics that worked and it was a race where the betting was spot on with the two co-favourites Amalfi Coast and Goldan Jess heading the field throughout.
Apart from a brief spell on the first circuit Amalfi Coast led all the was and the further they went the bigger the lead, coming home 13 lengths clear of Goldan Jess, giving the ten year old his first career win, although he has only been lightly raced, this being his 17th race and his 9th over obstacles.
Yachvili was the only other runner with any semblance of a chance and he took third place.
Of the others West End Wonder may have finished in third had his jockey, Olly Dayman, not been carrying four pounds overweight.
The remainder were, frankly, disappointing.
17:00 Only a six race card this afternoon, which is unusual nowadays, the WBX.com For Ante Post Bets Handicap Hurdle is a 2m 4f contest in which eight face the starter.
A tight betting heat with Goldan Jess and Amalfi Coast vying for favouritism with Treasury Counsel only half a point behind.
16:46 Supply And Fix, as is usual, set off to make all but, unsurprisingly, the effort came to nothing when ceding the lead turning for home and eventually coming home second last.
It’s A Roofer ran a similar sort of race, dropping out slightly earlier, after making a mistake at the eleventh.
Perpetuum was with the leaders throughout and took the lead when Supply And Fix waved the white flag.
He was not given an uncontested lead with both Fred Bojangles and the favourite Tiger O’Toole giving chase.
Of the chasers Tiger O’Toole looked to be labouring whilst Fred Bojangles looked keen for a fight.
Perpetuum still had the lead at the last and on the short run-in Fred Bojangles did his utmost to close the gap but Perpetuum had his measure and came home the 3¾ length winner, providing the Irish with their third win of the afternoon.
Fred Bojangles was a doughty second and Tiger O’Toole a disappointing third.
The early pacesetters Supply And Fix and It’s A Roofer filled the last two places.
16:26 Our second chase, the Bet WBXmobile at M.wbx.com Handicap Chase, again over 2m 4f.
This time nine go to post and like the contenders in the earlier races a pretty average bunch. A very slight negative for More Like It who was pulling in the parade ring.
16:16 Only seven runners but a good chase nonetheless – Young Albert was sent off the 2/1 favourite and although with the pace throughout, taking the lead at the eleventh, before being headed approaching the last, he effectively blew his chances with some very iffy jumping.
Having said that he wasn’t the only one to make mistakes and the worse mistake was made by Spellchecker at the last, in second place at the time and probably beaten, it was a tired fall and I am sure the horse will be feeling sore in the morning.
Colonel Arthur led for the first circuit but then dropped out quickly pulling up approaching the 13th.
Paul Moloney rode a very patient race on Beautiful Vision, settled towards the rear for the first circuit before making steady progress down the back straight.
Running on approaching two out, where the leader Young Albert made another mistake, Beautiful Vision soon had a good lead approaching the last.
Spellchecker was the only one trying to challenge although he was probably beaten when he fell. The fall allowed Beautiful Vision to come home unchallenged, recording a 15 length victory. Young Albert was a fortunate runner-up, with Nipper John taking third.
Easby Park was very disappointing coming home a tailed off last.
15:56 The Bet WBX.com For Better Odds Beginners Chase over 2m 4f sees the smallest field of the afternoon with just seven going to post.
Beautiful Vision was a slight negative in the parade ring, being slightly on his toes.
Hard to pick a clear positive with Colonel Arthur, Easby Park and Take Your Mark all looking good.
15:47 Dare I say it, yet again a similar pattern – Dream Along sets along in front, getting a clear lead, only to tire on the home turn – don’t the jockeys pay attention to the earlier races?
Coming to the second last it was Three Ships who took up the running but both Freedom Flying and the favourite Genari were on his quarters.
Coming down to the last Genari soon took up the gauntlet and jumped into the lead with a brilliant jump. Three Ships was not able to respond, running on one paced, allowing Freedom Flying to grab second spot, although the winning distances of eight and seven lengths were convincing.
The gambled-on Alpha Juliet came home a disappointing, never nearer, sixth.
Tommy Tobougg pulled up lame after the line and was dismounted.
The winner was bought in for 3,800 Guineas.
15:27 Alpha Juliet is being backed despite her paddock appearance 12/1 into 6/1.
15:25 The John Wade Skip Hire Selling Hurdle, over 2m 1f, is our third contest.
Being a seller these are not going to be the most eye catching beasts in racing, although I am sure their connections love them.
Alpha Juliet was on her toes in the parade ring and Wood Fern was snorting like an old steam engine.
15:14 Tactically the second contest did not differ much from the opener, in that we had a front runner, who ran out of steam as they turned for home – on this occasion it was the grey Stagecoach Pearl.
The grey actually had quite a lead at one point and it wasn’t until the end of the back straight the field came back to the leader.
Dr Kildare was the one who took up the running turning for home, with Skylancer offering the biggest threat.
The odds-on favourite, Overrule, was slowly making ground on the front pair but was making heavy weather of it.
Dr Kildare lost the lead after jumping right at the last, handing the lead to Skylancer.
Coming up the hill Overrule was wearing down Skylancer’s lead but the line came in time to cause an upset with Skylancer holding on by a diminishing half length. Dr Kildare held on for third spot, 2¼ lengths behind the front pair but eight clear of the remainder.
14:57 Race two is the Sunderland Football Club Novices’ Hurdle over 2m 1f.
Twelve go to post and there were no major positives or negatives in the parade ring. Overrule was marginally the best looking of an average bunch.
14:43 An open betting heat for the opener with the eventual joint favourites, desert Soul and Pugnacity, going off at 4/1, the latter being backed in from fives.
Desert Soul was the one who set out to make all, initially attended by Simply Smashing (although the latter dropped out like a stone as they completed the first circuit).
The grey Whatcanyasay was also parrying the leader from the outset but was another to drop out, eventually pulling up.
Pugnacity was content to track the leaders, being settled by Ryan Mania.
As they turned for home for the final time it was a brace of deserts in front with Desert Stag joining Desert Soul, however Desert Soul’s run was soon to peter out, leaving Desert Stag in front.
Mania, however, was tracking the leader on the favourite and was on his quarters approaching the second last.
Pugnacity hit the front approaching the second last and only Desert Stag was in striking distance.
Both put in clean jumps at the last and as they came up the hill Pugnacity was beginning to tire, however Desert Stag was doing his cause no good by hanging to the left.
Pugnacity came home the 2¼ length winner from Desert Stag, with Auberge a further 12 length further back in third.
Desert Soul eventually came home eighth of the nine finishers.
14:20 The opening contest is the WBX.com For Football Betting Conditional Novices’ Handicap Hurdle – pause for breath – over 2m 5f.
Eleven go to post, Nigwell Forbees doesn’t.
A couple of the runners look more like chasers, particularly Sam McCoombe and College Land Boy.
Auberge, by contrast, was pretty small.
Best looking, marginally, were Simply Smashing and On My Terms.
14:00 There is a big travel issue here at Sedgefield this afternoon - the A1M is completely closed at Junction 58 with major traffic jams. So far no news of any runners not making it here.
13:45 Forgot to say there is quite a breeze here today, a fresh wind slightly behind in the home straight.
13:11 Good afternoon from Sedgefield, where the sun is currently shining but there are some grey clouds. Only the one non-runner this afternoon and the six race card gets underway at 2:30.
07:54 After another dry night in the north east the going remains Good to Firm and the action kicks off at 2:30
Our tips for this afternoon are:-
2:30 |
11 |
Pugnacity |
3:00 |
2 |
Overrule |
3:30 |
8 |
Three Ships |
4:00 |
3 |
Easby Park |
4:30 |
3 |
Categorical |
5:00 |
5 |
Chip N Pin |
Return to race archive:
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Non-Runners
The time in brackets is the time the horse was officially declared a non-runner.
SC - Self Certificate
VC - Vet's Certificate
14:30
11 Nigwell Forbes (not sound - SC 08:34)
Results
14:30 Handicap Hurdle 2m 5f 110yds
1st 11 Pugnacity 4/1 jf
2nd 3 On My Terms 8/1
3rd 9 Auberge 7/1
11 Ran Nr 11
Distances 2 1/4 & 12
Fav winner & 1(8th)
Tote
Win £4.20
Places £1.40 £3.20 £2.40
Exacta £29.80
CSF £33.07
Tricast £206.73
Time 5' 05.4"
15:00 Novices' Hurdle 2m 1f
1st 11 Skylancer 12/1
2nd 2 Overrule 5/6 fav
3rd 1 Dr Kildare 9/4
12 Ran
Distances 1/2 & 2 1/4
Fav second
Tote
Win £14.30
Places £2.50 £1.10 £1.40
Exacta £42.00
CSF £23.54
Time 3' 51.7"
15:30 Selling Hurdle 2m 1f
1st 4 Genari 3/1 fav
2nd 13 Freedom Flying 9/1
3rd 8 Three Ships 7/2
14 Ran
Distances 8 & 7
Fav winner
Tote
Win £4.40
Places £2.20 £2.90 £1.80
Exacta £33.00
CSF £28.46
Time 3' 56.4"
16:00 Beginners Chase 2m 4f
1st 1 Beautiful Vision 8/1
2nd 7 Young Albert 2/1 fav
7 Ran
Distance 15
Fav second
Tote
Win £9.80
Places £4.20 £1.60
Exacta £37.70
CSF £23.50
Time 4' 53.2"
16:30 Handicap Chase 2m 4f
1st 7 Perpetuum 20/1
2nd 9 Fred Bojangles 9/2
3rd 8 Tiger O'Toole 11/4 fav
9 Ran
Distances 3 3/4 & 4 1/2
Fav third
Tote
Win £25.60
Places £4.70 £1.50 £1.50
Exacta £163.70
CSF £104.16
Tricast £329.79
Time 4' 51.1"
17:00 Handicap Hurdle 2m 4f
1st 7 Amalfi Coast 7/2 jf
2nd 4 Goldan Jess 7/2 jf
3rd 2 Yachvili 8/1
8 Ran
Distances 13 & 2 1/4
Fav winner & second
Tote
Win £4.70
Places £1.70 £1.90 £1.60
Exacta £16.20
CSF £15.07
Tricast £80.66
Time 4' 45.8"
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