Run No. 649 25th January 2004

The Rising Sun, Halls Green

Runners:  23
Mutts:  -
Ankle Biters:  -
Knitting Circle:  -
Apres:  -
Newies/Returnees:  -

Dr Johnson's Handicap Chase for two year olds and over: Going - soft to heavy in places

11:00 Hall's Green

Odds:
Pecker 1/2 F
Bell End 10/1
Stallion 25/1
My-Little-Pony 9/2
G-String 15/2
Pongo 100/1
White Rabbit 50/1
50/1 the field

A fine day here at Hall's Green for the Dr Johnson's Handicap Chase over 41 furlongs. The course is in quite poor condition due to the amount of rain that fell during the week. We have a good field for today's race and betting has been brisk with the punters fancing the favourite Pecker........... Now they are under Starters orders and it's ON OFF; an early leader is No Knickers, followed by Gor Joyce and now Big Blouse. And as they come out of the farm yard it's Big Blouse with a clear lead and the favourite Pecker close behind. On to the first check and gap is opening between the three leaders and the pack; at the first of the shiggy there's some reluctance from the older nags but a showing now from the aptley named Stallion, but Pecker takes the lead followed by Capt Fantaastic just a length away from Stallion and then it's Ringer followed by Pooper then Sashquatch then My-Little-Pony and then Bell-End, then the gelding G-String being ridden by Mac, then the fillies White Rabbit, Screamer then Nik-Nak and now at the rear of the field it's Underlay and Pongo and it looks like Cunning Linguist has been pulled up and has gone lame, oh dear the vet's wagon is in attendance and it may be a case of doggy din-dins time for the poor mare.

Now back to the leaders and the favourite Pecker is making easy work of the soft going and has a clear lead of 10 lengths over the second, My-Little-Pony who is just a nose ahead of Ringer, followed by Big Blouse and Stallion fighting it out for second place, Bell-End who has peviously won at this distance but now looks to have lost form. Coming up now to the final furlong and oh dear oh dear, Pecker, Capt Fantastic and Stallion have taken a wrong turn on the course leaving the way open now for Bell-End. It's Bell-End followed by G-String and Mac is using the whip, that looks harsh......and as they approach the finish it's Bell-End ahead of G-String but now a late showing this is exciting it's Shagpile on the outside catching up on Bell-End. It's Bell-End, Shagpile, Bell-End by a nose and at the wire it's Shagpile! Bell-End, G-String and My-Little Pony for fourth. What a magnificent effort from Shagpile as an outsider these days but it just goes to prove there's plenty of life left in the old dog!!