Saint Are and Battle Group to lead the line-up for the John Smith’s Handicap Chase (Listed Race) at Aintree
The Class 1 John Smith’s Handicap Chase (Listed Race) will be held at Aintree over three miles and a furlong on Saturday, 14th April. The £34,170 purse will get contested by fourteen runners who are five-year or older thoroughbreds.
The two most exciting entries on the lineup are Saint Are and Battle Group. Both were successful during the meeting last year.
Saint Are, Network’s six-year-old bay gelding out of mare, Fortanea, won the Grade 1 John Smith’s Sefton Novices’ Hurdle on 8th April 2011 at Aintree over three miles and half a furlong.
He was paired up with Richard Johnson and the two led the track of nineteen by four lengths. Finishing the race the closest to the winner was Cantlow while the 4/1 favourite of the race, Sparky May, ended third in line after the winner.
This was the last win till yet for Saint Are who remained winless in the next seven races. He has raced thrice during the new season and has not been able to strike the seasonal victory till yet. He has recorded a fourth and a fourteenth position in two
of the races with the second start of the season being declared as unraced.
Battle Group, Beat Hollow’s seven-year-old bay gelding out of mare, Cantanta, was successful in the Grade 3 John Smith’s Smithythehorse.Com Handicap Hurdle on 8th April 2011 at Aintree over three miles and half a furlong.
Coupled up with Barry Geraghty for the race, Battle Group led the runner up, Ringaroses, by five lengths. Resting the race third was Sir Harry Ormesher. The 6/1 favourite of the race, Kilcrea Kim, ended eighth on the field of twenty.
As is the case with Saint Are, Battle Group did not win after this race as he remained under a defeat spell for the nine races that came his way. He has raced four times during the season and till yet has not been able to post a victory.
There are quite a few entries for the race who have struck victory recently and can thus prove to be threatening for Saint Are and Battle Group. There are those too who have not claimed any race since a while and have all the reason to race competitively.
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