in touch, mistake 2nd and 7th, ridden 8th, weakened 10th
jumped right, reminders after 4th, always behind
in touch to 11th, soon weakened
made all, jumped well, easily
chased winner to 4 out, ridden to go 2nd again 2 out, hung left approaching last, no chance with winner
chased leaders, went 2nd 4 out to 2 out, weakened last
Martin Pipe holds Comply Or Die is high regard and his charge can get off the mark over fences at the first time of asking in this company. Hunting Yuppie and Buzybakson may be the ones to give him the most to think about. The latter was well and truly found out in a Grade two a Aintree in April, where he simply could not live with the tempo set by some high-class opposition. He should find a few of these a little easier to cope with but lacks the scope held by the selection. Hunting Yuppie has some valuable course experience to his name and should make a race of it. However, he would not have held a candle to Comply Or Die at his best over hurdles and is likely to find the Pipe horse has his measure today. Timmy Murphy got to know Comply Or Die when they teamed up to finish fourth in last season's Royal & SunAlliance Novices Hurdle and, with that knowledge behind him, the Irishman can help to cement his position as David Johnson's retained rider with another winner here.
