Westminster Handicap Chase (Class 5)
Winner: Takes All 5yrs
For Old Etonians whose sire was a wealthy member of the establishment
Weights decided by the Tory press
Penalties seat in the Lords
Prize money 1st £142,000 (& expenses) 2nd £140,000 (& expenses) 3rd £70,000 (& expenses)
1 1/UUU-1 CONSERVATIVE (CAYMAN I.) c200-10-0
gr m Silver Spoon-Robber Baron
Rupert Murdoch City of London D Cameron
2 R/11F-2 LABOUR (ENG) 115-11-0
br g Judas Iscariot-Gravy Train
Peter Mandelson Big Business E Miliband
3 P/333-F LIBDEM (ENG) 27-12-0
b g Oldest Profession-Nice But Dim
William Gladstone Big Business N Clegg
4 7/654-3 SNP (SCO) 81-13-0
ro c Braveheart-Independence Day
Robert the Bruce Members N Sturgeon(3)
5 //000-0 UKIP (GB) 22-14-0
gr c Blackshirt-Klu Klux Clan
Enoch Powell Shopkeepers N Farage(3)
6 0/006-6 GREEN (ENG) 25-15-0
b f Old Hippy-Wind Farm
Joni Mitchell Members N Bennett(7)
7 P/PP5-U PLAID CYMRU (CYM) 90-16-0
ro f Calon Lân-The Dream
Owain Glyndŵr Members L Wood(7)
BETTING: 1-5 Conservative, 7-2 Labour, 1000-1 SNP, 10,000-1 Bar.
VERDICT (Dic Turpin, racing correspondent)
Look no further than Conservative from the powerful Murdoch stable, well accustomed to triumphing in this race. Owners the City of London have spared none of your money in getting the venerable mare ready, and the right-hand, downhill track will suit. Put your mortgage on the blinkered nag showing its nasty streak and frightening the horses. Labour is the only threat, but the gelding struggles with all but the smallest hurdles and is prone to losing its bearings and sense of purpose. Of the others, LibDem has an unreliable temperament and needs soft ground, UKIP is not bred to stay and Green runs lame. Steered by the best jockey and making good progress lately, outsider SNP could be worth an each-way punt. Keep an eye too on unknown no-hopers Plaid Cymru. Apprentice jockey Wood is determined to complete the course and could nick a place in SNP’s slipstream.