in touch, ridden and lost place 5th, tailed off when blundered last
held up, headway to lead between last two, ridden and headed approaching last, kept on same pace
very slowly away, mistake 5th, brief effort after 2 out, soon beaten
held up, headway 2 out, led approaching last, ridden and stayed on well flat
led to 3 out, weakened after next, tailed off
prominent, not fluent 2nd, led 3 out, ridden and headed between last two, weakened
held up, ridden 4th, soon behind, tailed off
held up, effort after 2 out, ridden and weakened approaching last
mistake 2nd, mistake and reminder 4th, stayed on under pressure to take modest 3rd last
prominent until ridden and weakened from 3 out, tailed off
held up, headway 5th, mistake 3 out and weakened, soon tailed off
A distinctly moderate contest with some out of form and poor horses on show. Topweight Hasard Saisi and the ex-Irish Viking Buoy return to hurdles after a spell chasing and can be considered well treated. Great Crusader is less exposed than most after just one start in handicap company but this is no worse a contest than the one in which he finished a well held third in here last time. Silver Sleeve ran well enough off the same mark as today when third at Leicester last time to be given a chance in this company, while Knight Of Silver is a consistent performer in sellers. The TEAMtalk vote, albeit a tentative one, goes to Knockrigg. Philip Pritchard's gelding had little chance with Megazine in a similar contest at Newton Abbot but finished clear of the remainder. That form looks to be the best on offer here and a reproduction may be good enough.
