held up behind leaders, going well when left in lead twice, ridden and joined last, hard driven run in, in command final 100 yards
led, ridden after 4 out, narrow lead when blundered and fell 3 out
chased leaders, weakened 2 out
held up behind leaders, hampered 3 out, chased winner 2 out, upsides last, strong challenge and every chance run in until no extra and held final 100 yards
always last and not always fluent, well outpaced from 7th, hampered and left poor 4th 3 out
Vodka Bleu has been much improved over fences this term and has to be respected along with the Paul Nicholls-trained Mount Karinga but Be Fair has always looked likely to make the grade over fences and gets the vote to open his account today. The selection was useful in bumpers and subsequently over hurdles but chasing was always likely to be his game and a reappearance second behind Almaydan on his chasing debut when looking in need of the run did nothing to dispel that view. Vitally Don Cantillon's stable star receives 8lbs from Vodka Bleu and the son of Blushing Flame is taken to make the most of that. Mount Karinga had some decent form over hurdles himself last term and is interesting on his debut over fences for his in-form stable. Anything that Francois Doumen runs in Britain has to be respected so Walk On Seas cannot be discounted along with Jessica Harrington's Kilbeggan winner Johnjoe's Express and fellow Irish raider Daniels Hymn. Be Fair showed enough at Huntingdon to suggest that he can be a force to be reckoned with in novice chases this season though and he gets the vote.
