in touch until weakened before 4 out
tracked leader, ridden 10th, lost 2nd 12th, troubling next, well behind from 14th
not jump well, blundered 2nd and 4th, blundered 7th, lost place from 10th, jumped badly right 15th, pulled up before next
behind when blundered and fell 11th
mistakes, held up, mistakes 3rd and 4th, not fluent 6th, challenged from 2 out, every chance when mistake last, no extra and lost 2nd final 50 yards
always behind, tailed off from 16th
tracked leaders, blundered 3 out, driven and looked held last, stayed on under pressure run in to lead final 50 yards
held up in rear, steady headway from 14th, pressed leaders after 3 out, one pace under pressure before next
led, ridden and hard pressed from 2 out, kept on well until not quicken and headed final 150 yards
Rufius might just provide the answer here in a modest race of its kind for the track, with Parlour Games, Mac Hine and Running Machine possibly his biggest dangers. The selection is now rated 92, but has won from a mark of 90 and is generally fairly consistent at around these kind of marks. Parlour Games' jumping would have to be better than it was last time out but she has to hold a chance at this level, as does Mac Hine, who will prefer this longer trip today. Echo's Of Dawn has performed poorly since winning at Uttoxeter off a four-pound lower mark than today's, which puts us off recommending him. Running Machine won a fairly weak event at Folkestone but then came unstuck at Kempton, where he seemed to lose his confidence after a couple of mistakes. Of the others, Irish import River Pilot is untried over this trip, but Toulouse Lautrec and Dads Lad aren't forlorn hopes if all falls right for them. It's that kind of race really, so Rufius, with Jim Culloty - who could be very well suited to the selection - booked, gets a tentative vote.
