tracked leaders, not fluent 4th, effort when not fluent 2 out, challenging when left in lead last, kept on under pressure on run in, just held on
held up in rear, not fluent 7th, blundered and fell next
jumped right throughout, led, ridden and pressed when blundered badly last, rallied gamely under pressure on run in, just failed
held up, every chance when hampered last, chased winner on run in, not quicken and lost 2nd final 100 yards
raced in 4th, weakened from 2 out, beaten when slightly hampered last
prominent, ridden and lost place after 3 out, headway to challenge and every chance when short of room, blundered and unseated rider last
All eyes here will be on Keen Leader, who looks like he could turn out to be something special in staying chases when he gets his favoured soft ground. Despite the fact he has never won on anything faster than soft, he will have been well schooled and should still be up to winning this race if it becomes a true stamina test. With some rain forecast to help his cause, he gets the TEAMtalk vote. The one to chase him home is likely to be Lucky Bay, who lost no caste in defeat at Wincanton recently and should come on for the run. With chasing experience under his belt he can give the selection most to do, though any rain will probably not be in his favour. Super Fellow has to give weight away all around courtesy of his five length defeat of Maidstone Monument at Newton Abbot in August. A proven fast ground performer, that extra weight and the forecast rain will probably be enough to mean that a place is the most likely outcome for him. Chase debutante Pontius is one to keep an eye on in the market, with his 5lb weight-for-age allowance, though his hurdles form in nothing special, while it will be a surprise if either River Shamrock or Rushing again are good enough here.
