in rear, weakened from 7th, tailed off
tracked leader, left in lead 5th, clear approaching last
held up, chased leaders in 3rd approaching 4 out, ridden approaching 2 out, soon weakened
led, fell 5th
held up, pushed along to chase leaders approaching 4 out, went 3rd approaching 2 out, no impression
tracked leaders, went 2nd from 5th, ridden approaching 2 out, no impression approaching last
This may help define the seasonal targets for BEDLAM BOY, who was easily the best of these over hurdles, and he will be hard to beat taking to fences. More Equity has done well since joining Peter Monteith and, having made a satisfactory chasing debut here last month, the daughter of Classic Cliche shouldn't be underestimated, while Reindeer Dippin made very good progress last season and, as he has the frame of a chaser, he may well go on to much better things from now on. However, Bedlam Boy just edges the vote judged on the form already in the book. Ferdy Murphy seems to be stepping things up a few notches and this fellow can give the North Yorkshire-based trainer a further confidence booster as the National Hunt competition really starts to warm up.
Battle Of Song (IRE) 5-2fav (12-5) Lft in ld 7; clr 3 out; comf, won at Friars Haugh 3m ptp gd in Mar '07 beating Nimbu (12-5) by 10l, 11 ran.
Bedlam Boy (IRE) 28-1 (10-13) Held up in rear, headway 3 out, soon tracking leaders, kept on same pace flat, 3rd of 22, 5l behind Sunnyhillboy (11-0) at Aintree 2m 4f Listed hcp hdl (1) gd in Apr.
Magellan Straits 11-1 (10-9) Tracked leaders, every chance 3 out, ridden after 2 out, weakened last, 9th of 13, 17l behind Nampour (10-12) at Aintree 2m hcp hdl 0-140 (2) gd in Oct.
Reindeer Dippin 7-2 (11-12) Led, hit 4th, ridden 2 out, headed approaching last, one pace, 2nd of 9, 3 1/2l behind Pepporoni Pete (10-13) at Bangor 2m 1f hcp hdl 0-120 (3) gs in May.
It's A Discovery (IRE) 20-1 (10-5) In touch, chased leaders 5th, hit 8th, one pace from 2 out, 5th of 10, 49l behind Amber Brook (10-10) at Wincanton 2m 6f hcp hdl (2) sft in Nov '08.
More Equity 40-1 (10-4) Held up mid-division, went 3rd 5 out, blundered next, one pace from 2 out, 3rd of 10, 17l behind Fiendish Flame (11-2) at Carlisle 2m noc chs (3) gd in Oct.
Primrose Time 16-1 (10-10) Tracked leaders, outpaced from 7th, soon behind and pulled up before 2 out, in a race won by Description (10-3) at Kelso 2m 6f hcp hdl 0-110 (4) sft in Feb, 18 ran.
