chased leaders, mistake 4th, lost place next, well behind after 3 out
mid-division, headway 5th, not fluent 3 out, challenged 2 out, led before last, stayed on, edged left and hampered rival flat, holding rival after
not fluent, in touch 1st, soon in rear, last and struggling 4th
in rear, not fluent 3rd, behind and struggling when not fluent 4 out
took keen hold, mistake 1st, soon 2nd behind clear leader, closed 4th, led before 3 out, headed approaching last where pecked slightly, hampered flat, held after
held up in rear, headway approaching 4 out, outpaced 3 out, soon weakened
led until after 1st, chased leaders, not fluent 2nd, mistake 5th, not much room and switched right 4 out, close up 3 out, beaten next, not fluent and no extra last
pulled hard, started off in rear but led after 1st, went clear until 4th, not fluent 5th, headed before 3 out, weakening when mistake 2 out
prominent until 1st, soon dropped to mid-division, well beaten from 3 out
Espinator is the first foal to race of a bumper winner in France but there are other hurdling newcomers who make more appeal. Gunnery won over 1m4f on the Flat and was sixth in the Queen’s Vase in 2016 but hasn’t raced since July of that year and has clearly been difficult to train. DOUNYAPOUR was a three-time winner on the Flat in France up to 1m7f. He’s joined a yard that can get one ready at home so is preferred to Ffos Las runner-up Dream Machine. Winding Roe, third in a Navan bumper on his only start to date, also has scope.
Dounyapour (FR) (9-2) 6th of 8, 17 1/4l behind Moonshiner (9-2) at Saint-Cloud 1m 7f lst stks gd in Nov.
Dream Machine (IRE) 5-2 (11-0) Pulled hard, tracked leaders, not fluent 4th, under pressure when left in 2nd 2 out, kept on same pace, 2nd of 7, 3 1/4l behind Dieu Benisse (10-7) at Ffos Las 2m (4) gd in May.
Espinator (FR) Spider Flight gelding out of Santalisa.
Gallahers Cross (IRE) 7-2 (10-12) Raced keenly, led until approaching 4th, chased leader until approaching 4 out, chased leaders, pushed along before 3 out, weakened before next, 7th of 9, 26 1/4l behind Emitom (11-8) at Newbury 2m 5f (4) gs in Mar.
Gunnery (FR) 25-1 (9-1) Towards rear, effort when hung left over 1f out, faded inside final furlong, 7th of 9, 7 3/4l behind Housesofparliament (9-1) at Newmarket 1m 5f Grp 3 (1) gf in Jul.
Poor Duke (IRE) 150-1 (10-12) Held up towards rear, soon struggling, tailed off, 5th of 7, dist behind Siannes Star (11-4) at Market Rasen 2m 1f (4) gd in May.
Winding Roe (IRE) 16-1 (11-13) Rear of mid-division, some headway approaching straight, ridden in 6th over 2f out and moderate 5th over 1f out, kept on one pace inside final furlong, 3rd of 12, 12 1/4l behind Thatsy (11-13) at Navan 2m Yielding in Feb.
Bempton Cliffs (IRE) 20-1 (9-5) Held up in rear, outpaced over 2f out, soon weakened, 5th of 7, 20 1/4l behind Cloudlam (9-0) at Newcastle 1m 2f mdn stks (5) pol in Jan.
Luck Of The Legion (IRE) 25-1 (10-12) Prominent until before 3rd, weakening when mistake 5th, 9th of 14, 34 1/2l behind Spice Girl (10-12) at Towcester 2m mdn (4) gd in Nov.
