led, not fluent 3rd or when headed next, led 5th, hit 6th, clear approaching last, stayed on
raced in last, not fluent and pushed along 2nd, reminders after next, lost touch 5th, went poor 3rd flat
took keen hold, tracked leaders, jumped slowly 1st and when ridden 5th, soon lost touch, jumped very deliberatly 3 out, lost poor 3rd flat
pressed leader, led 4th until next, not fluent 6th, mistake 3 out, soon ridden, no impression when mistake last
Tim Vaughan's SASSANIAN deserves to get his head in front having found just one too good in each of his two outings over timber, latterly over course and distance when chasing home Two Kisses, and he looks likely to do so unless Rhyton improves from his limited flat form. Don McCain's gelding is bred to be useful and won the second of his two starts on the flat for Sir Michael Stoute when taking a Pontefract maiden in June but that was not a particularly strong affair and he will need to have improved on flat form to trouble the selection. Ben De Haan's Dinkie Short has shown only moderate form on the flat and over hurdles in four starts and a bigger threat is likely to come from Micky Hammond's Sedgefield winner Meetings Man, who has been performing well on the flat since that success in June but he does have a penalty to carry.
Meetings Man (IRE) 4-1 (10-12) Tracked leaders in 3rd, went 2nd after 5th, led approaching and hit 2 out, ridden and jumped badly left last, edged right run-in, held on well, won at Sedgefield 2m 1f juv hdl (4) gd in Jun beating Lucky Quay (11-5) by 2l, 11 ran.
Dinkie Short 11-1 (10-12) Towards rear, headway when mistake 5th, ridden and weakened after 3 out, 4th of 11, 20l behind Pobs Trophy (10-12) at Stratford 2m 3yo sll hdl (5) gf.
Rhyton (IRE) 6-4fav (9-3) Tracked leaders, effort to chase leader and hung left 1f out, stayed on under pressure to lead on line (no time taken), won at Pontefract 1m 4f 3yo mdn (5) gf in Jun beating Sharakti (8-12) by ns, 7 ran (flat).
Sassanian (IRE) 7-2 (10-12) With leader, led after 4th, ridden and headed approaching 2 out, soon beaten, 2nd of 10, 13l behind Two Kisses (10-5) at Bangor 2m 1f juv hdl (4) gd in Jul.
