with leader, led 5th, hit and headed next, soon weakened
in touch, ridden after 4th, weakened approaching 3 out, soon pulled up
mistakes, led, headed 5th, ridden and weakened approaching 3 out
mistake 1st, soon with leaders, weakened approaching 4th, pulled up before 3 out
soon tracking leaders, led 6th, ridden to go clear approaching last, readily
mistake 1st, in rear, headway approaching 5th, ridden and hit 2 out, soon weakened
held up and slightly hampered 1st, headway under pressure approaching 5th, ridden 2 out, kept on from last, no chance with winner
always behind, weakened from 4th, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out
held up, headway approaching 4th, ridden approaching 2 out, weakening when hit last
held up behind, mistake 4th, soon lost place
Not a bad little juvenile for the time of year, where we see Martin Pipe saddle a newcomer, Brendan Duke's Taranai attempt to follow up a Stratford win, and Jonjo O'Neill give a debut to Fire Dragon, and we will side with the latter. The selection makes his hurdling debut after disappointing slightly on his British Flat race debut behind Peak Of Perfection at Chester last month. He had previously been a very easy six length scorer in a Killarney handicap in May, and as he appears to be happy enough on a sound surface and likely to have been well schooled we will take a chance on him. Taranai's Stratford success also gives him a chance in this. He was brave that day, staying on well to pip Canadian Storm, and on similar ground and over the same trip he will be a force to be reckoned with. His Flat form was nothing like that of the selection though, so he may be tested for toe. La Lambertine has his first run for Martin Pipe and is not overlooked without due consideration. A five length winner on bottomless ground at Auteuil last month, he clearly has ability, but the much faster ground here is the big imponderable, and we would rather see him go well on it before plunging on. So in a potentially trappy opener we will take the chance that Jonjo O'Neill has a well-schooled Fire Dragon ready to burn them off.
