tracked leaders, chased winner after 3rd, effort 2 out, chance last, kept on same pace
held up in mid-division, headway 3 out, soon ridden, mistake 2 out, stayed on one pace approaching last
towards rear, mistake 3rd, never dangerous
in touch to halfway
in touch, ridden approaching 3 out, no extra from 2 out
made all, hard pressed from 2 out, stayed on well
held up in mid-division, pushed along apporoaching 3 out, weakened before next
towards rear, never dangerous
mid-division, headway 4th to chase leaders, pushed along 3 out, effort when not fluent 2 out, edged left and weakened flat
towards rear, never dangerous
chased leaders, pushed along 5th, outpaced 3 out
Bourgeois can defy a penalty to put one over on Bahlino, with Watzing Along and Flur Na H Alba worth a mention. Bourgeois was quite a highly rated stayer on the Flat, and took part in both the Tote-Ebor and Northumberland Plate. He did not jump hurdles that well when being put through his paces at home, but had the class to brush aside Merryvale Man on his second outing over timber here in January. He ran no sort of race behind King Revo in soft ground at Wetherby in January but remains a good prospect and can give weight and a beating to Bahlino. The latter hails from the resurgent Howard Johnson yard and sports the now familiar colours of Andrea and Graham Wylie. A winning handicapper on the Flat, he was third to Kentucky Blue on his debut over hurdles here last month. The latter is trained by Tim Easterby, who will therefore have a line to the merits of Bourgeois. Flur Na H Alba was principally a seven-furlong horse on the level so it remains to be seen how he will react to the trip on his timber debut, while Waltzing Along has an absence to overcome. All in all, the best option looks to be Bourgeois.
