in touch until ridden and losing place when pecked 2 out
in rear and several slow jumps early, plenty to do 3 out, stayed on under pressure from next, kept on to take 2nd flat, no chance with winner
held up in rear, stayed on under pressure from 2 out, chased winner last, no impression and lost 2nd flat
tracked leaders until weakened 4 out,tailed off when pulled up before 2 out
always in rear, mistake 4th, tailed off
in mid-division until weakened 3 out
led, headed and weakened before 2 out, mistake last
tracked leader from 2nd, weakened quickly approaching 2 out
held up in rear, hit 3rd, headway 7th, weakened 3 out
in touch and always going well, led approaching 2 out, soon clear, stayed on strongly
chased leader until mistake and lost place 7th, weakened rapidly before next, tailed off when pulled up before 2 out
Not the strongest of races to close the card and a chance is taken with course specialist Smart Guy, who is preferred over Villair, Khaladjistan and Beefy Nova. The selection, a three-time previous winner at this track, is set to encounter his ideal conditions today and arrives here at the top of his game after a comfortable success over Beefy Nova last month. Smart Guy is 7lb worse off with that rival here and will need to be on his metal, but he has the right attitude for a battle and is the more convincing of the two when assuming they will give their running. There are also doubts about a number of his other rivals so Smart Guy looks the safest option to put the cliche about horse for course to the test.
