held up and always going well, headway 4 out, led and mistake last, ran on
held up, close up and ridden 4 out, weakened 2 out
tracked leaders, led briefly 3 out, ridden and weakened 2 out
with leader, lost place 9th, ridden and weakened 2 out
led, ridden when headed briefly 3 out, headed again approaching last, kept on
Nonrunner
We will side with Get The Point here, with the main dangers suggested as Harik, The Leader, The Staggery Boy and, possibly, Stormy Skye. Harik will be more at home at this trip today and showed more last time than he has done of late. He is now only two pounds above the mark from which he won over course and distance in May 2004 and, much as he finished behind The Staggery Boy and The Leader at Plumpton last time on fairly similar terms, that was over a shorter trip than today, which would not have suited ideally. Harik's trainer also runs Stormy Skye, who looks attractively weighted based on his form of late 2003, but he has a long absence to overcome. The other pair mentioned have to be granted consideration, of course, with The Leader still being on a winning mark, and The Staggery Boy being a pound below a winning mark, and he deserves to get his head in front following a consistent run of form. However, much as he is seven pounds better off for the three lengths that Get The Point beat him here over a two-furlong shorter trip last time, the winner won a shade cosily on that occasion and might be able to defy his penalty. That's what we think, anyway, so Get The Point gets the vote, although, finally, we should mention Klondike Charger, who is now two pounds below a winning mark, but that success came over three miles, and he has been out of form for a few runs now.
Harik 6-1 Held up, not fluent and ridden 7th, hard ridden and no impression after 3 out, 4th of 7, 10l behind Tarongo at Plumpton 2m 1f hcp chs 0-110 (E) gd.
Stormy Skye (IRE) 10-3 Chased leaders, joined leader 15th, led last, hung left under pressure on flat, stayed on, won at Lingfield 3m nov chs (E) gd in Nov '03 beating Jongleur Collonges by 4l, 4 ran.
The Leader 5-1 Tracked leaders, led 4 out, ridden and headed 2 out, soon no chance with winner and lost 2nd flat, 3rd of 7, 4l behind Tarongo at Plumpton 2m 1f hcp chs 0-110 (E) gd.
Get The Point 10-1 Jumped right, chased leaders, led 4 out, in command last, drew clear flat, won at Fontwell 2m 2f hcp chs 0-90 (F) gd beating The Staggery Boy by 3l, 12 ran.
Klondike Charger (USA) 11-1 Never going well in touch, not fluent 6th, weakened after 9th, behind when blundered 11th, last of 6, 31l behind Palouse at Fontwell 2m 4f hcp chs 0-105 (E) gf in Sept.
The Staggery Boy (IRE) 5-1 Soon pushed along in mid-division, not fluent 7th, headway under pressure to 2 out, no impression flat, 2nd of 12, 3l behind Get The Point at Fontwell 2m 2f hcp chs 0-90 (F) gd.