tracked leaders, every chance 4 out, soon ridden, weakened 2 out
held up, led 4 out, headed 3 out, ridden, led again briefly after last, no extra
held up, headway and ridden 4 out, weakened 2 out
led, headed after 4th, led again 3 out, jumped slowly and headed last, rallied to lead flat
with leaders, led 5th, headed after 7th, tailed off
tracked leaders, led after 4th, headed 5th, led again briefly after 7th, weakened 3 out
held up and keen, held from 4 out
held up and keen, effort 4 out, no impression
There should be nothing to choose between OPTION MONEY and Our Hero judged by official BHA ratings but the latter was very disappointing at Uttoxeter last month and preference is for the former, who gets the vote with Blue Dark rated the best of the rest. The selection was good value for his wins at Newton Abbot in the summer, should come on for his recent run at Wetherby, his first run since September, and Tim Vaughan's gelding looks the one to side with. Emma Lavelle's De Welsh Wizzard has been well held in all three starts so far and looks best watched, while Unanswered represents the in-form Alan King stable but needs to improve on the form shown on his hurdling debut to trouble the judge. Blue Dark certainly looks the pick of Alan King's two runners and he may do better on this ground having been well held under testing conditions behind Kayf Aramis here when last seen in February. Charlie Longsdon's Our Hero, a point-to-point winner on fast ground in Ireland, was a good winner at Market Rasen in February in a poor contest but his subsequent below par effort at Uttoxeter makes him hard to recommend with any confidence and a safer option looks to be Option Money.
Option Money (IRE) 7-2 (11-8) Weakened from 4 out, left poor 2nd 2 out, 2nd of 5, 40l behind Easby Park (11-9) at Wetherby 3m 1f nh nov hdl (4) gd in Mar.
Our Hero (IRE) 7-1 (11-9) Prominent, led 4th, not fluent 6th, headed approaching 9th, weakened before 3 out, tailed off, 6th of 9, well behind Ogee (11-9) at Uttoxeter 2m 4f nh nov hdl (4) gs in Mar.
Blue Dark (FR) 20-1 (11-0) Held up, ridden 8th, weakened soon after, tailed off when pulled up before last, in a race won by Kayf Aramis (10-11) at Chepstow 3m mdn hdl (5) hvy in Feb, 13 ran.
De Welsh Wizzard 20-1 (11-0) Tracked leaders, ridden approaching 4 out, soon weakened, tailed off, 7th of 16, well behind Pride Of Dulcote (11-0) at Chepstow 3m mdn hdl (5) gd in Oct.
My Boy Nick 100-1 (11-0) Hit 1st, always in rear, tailed off, 11th of 13, well behind Nearby (11-0) at Newton Abbot 2m 1f mdn hdl (4) gf in Mar.
Quenzo Conti (FR) 100-1 (10-12) Held up, raced keenly, ridden 7f out, soon struggling, tailed off, 11th of 14, well behind Front Of House (11-8) at Ludlow 2m NH flat (5) gd in Apr '08.
Spiders Nephew 200-1 (10-5) Never better than mid-division, ridden 6th, soon struggling, 10th of 17, 42l behind According To Dick (11-8) at Newbury 2m 5f nh nov hdl (4) gd in Feb.
Unanswered 66-1 (11-0) Mid-division, headway 6th, effort after 3 out, kept on same pace from next, 5th of 13, 11l behind Yetholm (10-2) at Taunton 2m 1f nh nov hdl (4) gs in Mar.
