20:20 Exeter

Tuesday 8 May 2018

All17:5018:2018:5019:2019:5020:20

Cleave Lustleigh Standard Open NH Flat Race

Off time: 20:20 | Winning time: 3m 57.76s

Earth Spirit

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Nick Scholfield| T: Jack Barber

9/1

£32,000 gelding by Black Sam Bellamy out of winning French Flat racer. Represents decent yard and any money for him would be worth noting on debut.

Form:

Net De Treve¹⁵⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: James Best| T: T R George

7/1

Second on debut in Irish point to point and subsequently sold for €100,000. Ran nice race on Rules debut when third at Doncaster in December and likely been saved for spring ground. Looks a contender.

Form: 2/3-

Rhythm Is A Dancer^t⁵²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Bryony Frost⁽³⁾| T: P F Nicholls

2/1

Bred for the Flat being by Norse Dancer out of a Fantastic Light mare and has shown ability in both bumpers so far. Represents top yard, and while he wouldn't be in their first division he may be good enough to go close this time.

Form: 24-

Rowley Park¹³³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Conor Smith⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss L Blackford

28/1

Beaten 28 lengths into second in poor four-runner Wincanton bumper on debut, then beaten out of sight there on return visit. Doesn't look good enough.

Form: 2/0-

Earth Moor²⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: R Johnson| T: P Hobbs & J White

11/2

Son of Coronation Cup winner Ask, showed some ability when fourth on debut at Wincanton last month in very testing ground. Should be better served on this surface and is worth considering.

Form: 4-

Fly To Mars

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: David Noonan| T: C L Tizzard

7/1

Connections forked out €40,000 for this son of Schiaparelli out of a dam who is a full sister to the smart chaser Ollie Magern. Top yard can get them ready first time out so comes into the reckoning on that basis.

Form:

Kauto The King^t²⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: P J Brennan| T: C L Tizzard

3/1

Three runs so far in bumpers, best effort coming on most recent outing when third at Wincanton. His experience is a positive but has looked a little one paced and may find one or two too good for him again.

Form: 343-

Shiroccan Roll¹⁵⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Aidan Coleman| T: Miss E C Lavelle

25/1

Made debut at Doncaster in December, running creditably to be fifth of nine. Form hans't worked out well though and while he should improve he may have to wait for another opportunity to get off the mark.

Form: 5-

Theatre Mix⁵⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-9| J: Mrs Jo Supple⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss J Du Plessis

40/1

Beaten a long way on debut in bumper at Taunton in March. Dam took a while to show her ability and it may be a case of the same for this daughter of Fair Mix who looks up against it.

Form: 46-

Non-Runners

Master Card⁸⁸

Weight: 11-2| Age: 5

T: W Greatrex J: Thomas Greatrex

Nifty At Fifty²⁹

Weight: 11-2| Age: 5

T: J Scott J: Matt Griffiths

Drift Rock

Weight: 10-12| Age: 4

T: P & M Bowen J: B S Hughes

Global Rhapsody

Weight: 10-12| Age: 4

T: N P Mulholland J: T Scudamore

Grey Diamond

Weight: 10-12| Age: 4

T: A King J: Wayne Hutchinson

Jeremiah James

Weight: 10-12| Age: 4

T: H Fry J: Kieron Edgar

Rufio

Weight: 10-12| Age: 4

T: H Fry J: N P Madden

Forecasts

Rhythm Is A Dancer (2/1), Kauto The King (3/1), Earth Moor (11/2), Net De Treve (7/1), Fly To Mars (7/1), Rufio (7/1), Grey Diamond (8/1), Earth Spirit (9/1), Drift Rock (14/1), Jeremiah James (14/1), Global Rhapsody (16/1), Master Card (16/1), Nifty At Fifty (20/1), Shiroccan Roll (25/1), Rowley Park (28/1), Theatre Mix (40/1)

Plenty of good yards are represented in this finale and the betting amrkets may well provide valuable information as to which horses are ready and fancied. GLOBAL RHAPSODY cost €110,000 and represents a yard that do well in this sphere so is a tentative choice, marginally preferred to the experienced Rhythm Is a Dancer. Earth Spirit, Master Card and Rufio are interesting, as too are Earth Moor and Fly To Mars.