Tennent's Lager Standard Open NH Flat Race

Off time: 17:22 | Winning time: 4m 41.10s

Castle Rushen⁶¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: B S Hughes| T: N G Richards| CD

8/13

Cost €90,000 as three-year-old; half-brother to stable's Marown (runs here earlier) and made winning start in C&D bumper (heavy; 15-8) in January beating a Gordon Elliott newcomer (form untested). Stable flying this week, big player under penalty.

Form: 1

Democratic Oath⁶¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: R Johnson| T: G Elliott

11/4

Stowaway gelding; from an unraced sister to the bumper/2m6f hurdle winner Our Joey; third behind Castle Rushen over C&D on debut (16-1). Will have to improve to get closer now despite the winner's penalty.

Form: 3

Max Appeal

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: S Mulqueen⁽³⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell

12/1

Fifth foal; closely related to 2m3f hurdle/2m4f chase winner Normandy King; dam unraced half-sister to bumper/smart 2m-3m2f hurdle/chase winner Battlecry, out of Midlands National winner. Yard 1-21 with bumper runners previous 12 months.

Form:

Roussimoff^t1¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Thomas Dowson| T: T Davidson

18/1

Bred for a stamina test judging by his pedigree and duly beaten 46L on debut in a Doncaster bumper last month; likely plays only a minor role here.

Form: 9

Midnight Legacy¹⁴⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: Sean Quinlan| T: P A Kirby

10/1

Bought at Cheltenham in November after winning Irish point-to-point; first foal; dam unraced sister to 2m-3m1f hurdle/smart chase winner Master Of The Hall, 2m-2m4f hurdle winner Featherbed Lane and dam of Samcro. Gets big weight from Castle Rushen.

Form: 1

Forecasts

Castle Rushen (8/13), Democratic Oath (11/4), Midnight Legacy (10/1), Max Appeal (12/1), Roussimoff (18/1)

Newcomers Max Appeal and Midnight Legacy make some appeal on paper and the latter receives a stone from CASTLE RUSHEN but it remains likely that Nicky Richards' C&D winner can defy his penalty. Democratic Oath was one of two Gordon Elliott inmates that chased him home that day and, despite the weight differential, he can help would-be champion jockey Brian Hughes end the afternoon on a high note by accounting for the mount of title rival Richard Johnson, amongst others.