led until approaching 1st, with leader, ridden approaching 2 out, weakening when hit last
tracked leader, led approaching 1st, made rest, shaken up flat, ran on well
held up in touch, ridden and weakened approaching 2 out
held up, headway approaching 2 out, ridden after last, staying on when veered left flat, not recover
not jump well in rear, tailed off and pulled up after 3rd
held up, hampered 2nd, headway after 3rd, soon ridden, weakened
Unless the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Randolph O'Brien, who has been unplaced in two starts in bumpers, improves greatly for going over hurdles this should lie between Deer Dancer and Tamarinbleu, with the latter the obvious selection. Jimmy Frost's Deer Dancer showed a decent level of form in bumpers and lost no caste in defeat on his hurdles debut when second to Martin Pipe's Mioche d'Estruval over course and distance last week. He has to be respected but it will be a surprise if he is good enough to beat Tamarinbleu. Martin Pipe's gelding made an impressive start to his hurdling career when making all to score at Ascot before finding just Triumph Hurdle favourite Trouble At Bay too good for him at Cheltenham. A reproduction of either of those efforts should suffice here. The remainder look distinctly moderate and Tamarinbleu should be able to justify likely prohibitive odds.
