chased leader, mistake 11th, outpaced 4 out, kept on from next took 2nd towards finish, no chance with winner
always towards rear, tailed off and pulled up before 9th
held up towards rear, mistake 2nd weakened from 9th
always towards rear, weakened 9th tailed off and pulled up before 2 out
held up in touch, went 2nd approaching 4 out, blundered 2 out, soon led, kept on well
held up towards rear, weakened from 9th, tailed off and pulled up before last
chased leaders, 4 lengths down in 2nd when blundered and unseated rider 6th
led, not fluent and headed 2 out, one pace flat, lost 2nd towards finish
A progressive performer over hurdles last term, Paddy The Piper is taken to make a winning start to his chasing career in a race where the biggest threats look to be Another Rum and Possextown. The last mentioned is a six-year-old with point-to-point form and has to be respected representing the stable of Nicky Richards, while Another Rum ran well off a mark of 118 in a handicap hurdle here when second to Kivotos in April. This is his first start since then but it is interesting that the son of Zaffaran has quickly been put over the larger obstacles. Ferdy Murphy's Just For Fun may do better now that he switches to fences but, along with stablemate Just For Fun, would need to improve on hurdling form to trouble the selection. Paddy The Piper looked useful in bumpers two seasons ago and confirmed that belief over hurdles last term, particularly with the defeat of some useful types at Kelso in his last two starts, latterly when landing a handicap off a mark of 135. Easily the best of these over timber, he need only translate a modicum of that ability to fences to win this.
