chased leaders, not fluent 5th, mistake and outpaced 3 out, rallied before last, no impression on winner final 100 yards
held up in rear, headway when not fluent 3 out, led going well before not fluent last, quickened clear final 100 yards
led, ridden after 3 out, headed before last, weakened flat
reluctant to race and slow away, headway 3rd, ridden after 4 out, weakened 2 out
chased leaders, lost place 3rd, weakened after 4 out
chased leader, ridden 3 out, beaten 4th before last, stayed on same pace, went 3rd flat
El Borracho was beaten off a lower mark at Bangor after winning on the Flat but may get an uncontested lead in this. Gumball needs to rediscover his best form but Father Of Jazz is 2-2 for James Owen and will be a pound higher in the weights from next week. Hurricane Ali was ahead of CHAOS CONTROL (NAP) when third at Warwick but nothing went right for Stuart Edmunds’ four-year-old that day and he still has plenty of scope in handicaps. Esperti can’t be ignored but lacks a recent run and is making his debut for new connections.
Hurricane Ali (IRE) 12-1 (11-13) Prominent, mistake 3rd, challenged last (normal 2 out), driven flat, headed close home, 3rd of 11, nk behind Glorious Zoff (11-7) at Warwick 2m hcp (3) gd in May.
Father Of Jazz 11-10fav (11-9) Travelled strongly, held up in rear, slightly hampered by faller 3 out where headway, soon switched right and travelling best 2 out, ridden to press leader approaching last, soon led, stayed on well run-in, readily, won at Aintree 2m (4) gd in May beating Gaius (10-10) by 6 1/2l, 8 ran.
El Borracho (IRE) 15-8fav (12-1) Raced keenly, led, headed before 2 out, switched right approaching last, hung left and no impression towards finish, 2nd of 6, 1 3/4l behind Hidalgo De L'isle (11-8) at Bangor-on-Dee 2m 1f hcp (4) gd in May.
Gumball (FR) 18-1 (11-13) Reluctant to jump off and behind, headway on outside 4th, weakened after 2 out, 8th of 13, 31 1/2l behind Black Poppy (11-5) at Cheltenham 2m 1f hcp (3) gd in Apr.
Esperti (IRE) 8-1 (10-12) Tracked leaders, 6th halfway, ridden to close in 3rd and hampered on rail after 2 out, under pressure in 4th before last, kept on into 2nd closing stages, lost 2nd at line, 3rd of 15, 4 1/2l behind King Kal (10-1) at Punchestown 2m 4f hcp gd in Oct.
Chaos Control (IRE) 7-2 (11-6) Mid-division, hampered 2nd, headway before 5th, outpaced after 6th, no impression after, 7th of 11, 7l behind Glorious Zoff (11-7) at Warwick 2m hcp (3) gd in May.
