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2000  Race 1 The Stereophonics Play Here Handicap Steeplechase ( Class D ) 
This race was a well contested race. With 8 runners going to post. The top weight was Francolino was to be ridden by Mr T.Scudamore but as he broke a few ribs a few days ago, his place was taken by the second place jockey in last year's championship Richard Johnson. The Pipe McCoy duo were favourite for the race and the lead was taken by that horse Guns'NRoses who was owned but the new owner of Chepstow's wife Mrs Clarke. All horses jumped the first 5 in the straight and as they went around to the 6th fence which is the first in the back, They then went on to the fence that turned out to be the most problematic all day and Superior Risk unseated his rider. Before the next Tony McCoy started to push on with guns and roses and as they jumped the next he was 3 lengths in front. They jumped the next ok but Frank Burne made a terrible mistake at the 10th and was pulled up but McCoy opened up even more distance between himself and the rest of the field. By the time they had got to the first in the straight Guns'nRoses was still three lengths in front of Virtuoso who was 15 lengths in front of the rest of the field. 4 from home the lead was increased to 10 lengths between the first two as Virtuoso started to fade. 
Francolino was pulled up three out.Guilder was pulled up2 out but there was no doubt who was going to win as Guns 'nRoses was 30 lengths in front. the places changed between the last two fences as the eventual second Storm Damage took up second place and the eventual 3rd Beatson took up third place to leave Virtuoso the only other to finish in fourth. The Finishing oredr was :- 1st Guns'n Roses 8 10 11 M.C.pipe : A.P.McCoy. 2nd Storm Damge 8 11 12 : P.F.Nicholls : J.Tizzard. 3rd Beatson 11 10 0 : R.H.Buckler : P Flyn 4th Virtuoso 6 10 13 : C.J.Mann : A.Dobbin PU Francolino 7 12 0 N.A.Gaselee: R.Johnson UP Superior Risk 11 11 4 : T.R.George : R.Wakley PU Frank Byrne 8 10 0 : J.A.B.Old : B.J.Crowley PU Guilder 6 11 2 : P.R.Webber : J.P.Byrne. |
