with leader, jumoed slowly and reminder 1st, slightly hampered and left chasing winner 2 out, pushed along, well held and no chance well before last
made most at steady pace, narrow lead when blundered and fell 2 out
took keen hold, held up last, not fluent, went 4th 6th, hit 3 out, left modest 3rd next, tailed off
took keen hold, tracked leading pair until after 4th, mistake and dropped to rear 5th, hit next, struggling after, left poor 4th 2 out, tailed off
held up in 4th, tracked leading pair from 5th, close up and going well when left in lead 2 out, drew 6 lengths clear before last, easily
Disappointingly just the five runners have been declared for this novices' hurdle and, unless the lightly raced pair of Appointment and Meant To Bee improve dramatically on what they have shown in limited opportunities so far, it really looks little more than a match between SHE'S ON THE CASE and Jenny's Gold, with preference for the former. The selection has only won a bumper so far having landed an event at Fontwell on fast ground on her debut in May but she has shown better form on more testing ground over hurdles subsequently and a reproduction of the form shown when chasing home Mrs Fawlty at Towcester last month may well suffice. Appointment and Meant To Bee have shown little sign of ability so far, while Richard Rowe's Maybe A Malt ran one good race in four starts in bumpers but was well beaten on her hurdling debut. Towcester bumper winner Jenny's Gold has shown some promise in three starts over hurdles but She's On The Case has the more solid claims and is preferred.
Appointment 28-1 (10-12) Raced on inside, led until 2nd,with winner until soon after 5th, remained handy until weakened approaching 3 out, last of 6, 25l behind Megasue (10-12) at Plumpton 2m mrs nov hdl (4) gs in Feb.
Jenny's Gold 20-1 (10-12) Held up in rear, headway on inside approaching 4th, weakened 2 out, 3rd of 11, 17l behind Queen Poline (10-12) at Warwick 2m 5f mares NH nov hdl (4) sft in Dec.
Maybe A Malt (IRE) 40-1 (10-10) Mid-division, driven and weakened between last 2, 10th of 14, 29l behind Gallileo Figaro (10-10) at Folkestone 2m 1f nh nov hdl (4) gf in Oct '07.
Meant To Bee (IRE) 200-1 (10-12) Held up in rear on outside, not fluent 5th, behind from next, tailed off, 9th of 12, well behind Queen Poline (11-5) at Huntingdon 2m 5f nov hdl (4) sft in Feb.
She's On The Case (IRE) 8-1 (10-5) Held up, towards rear, headway 4 out, left 3rd 2 out, stayed on well towards finish to take 2nd, not reached winner, 2nd of 14, 3/4l behind Real Treasure (10-10) at Exeter 2m 1f mdn hdl (4) gs in Feb.
