tracked leaders, mistake 3rd, ridden 4 out, outpaced before next
in touch until halfway, soon lost touch, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out
led, ridden and headed 2 out, one pace flat
mid-division, outpaced halfway
tracked leaders, went 2nd 5th, ridden to lead 2 out, stayed on well falt
towards rear, weakened halfway, tailed off whe pulled up before 3 out
soon pushed along in rear, tailed off halfway, pulled up before 3 out
towards rear, some headway under pressure 3 out, soon weakened
tracked leader, mistake 4th and lost place, ridden next, outpaced 3 out
towards rear, mistake 1st, behind from halfway
mid-divison, outpaced halfway
Martin Pipe's French import Tamarinbleu won with plenty in hand in desperate conditions on his British debut at Ascot and has to be respected here but preference is for Trouble At Bay, who looks to be going the right way over hurdles and Alan King's gelding gets the verdict with After Eight probably the best of the remainder. The last mentioned was bought out of Christian Von Der Recke's stable after running Web Perceptions to a neck over course and distance in October and fulfilled the promise of that run with a subsequent defeat of Howle Hill at Huntingdon. Howle Hill's trainer Alan King should know what is required by Trouble At Bay to beat him though and, following a debut defeat at Kempton, the son of Slip Anchor has done little wrong with wins at Hereford and Wincanton. On the latest of those occasions Robert Thornton's mount looked as though a stiffer test of stamina, which should be forthcoming on this track, would suit and he looks the one they all have to beat. Tamarinbleu could be anything but the faster surface here than at Ascot would be a worry for a horse who clearly appreciated the testing conditions at Ascot. Stablemate Free Willie faces a stiff task on his racecourse debut and of more interest could be Gary Moore's Zimbabwe, who had some useful form on the flat with John Oxx and has his first outing over timber today. Barneys Lyric has been consistent, while Pilgrims Progress is probably better than he showed at Folkestone and both may run into a place but for the winner we side with Trouble At Bay.
