held up, hit 4 out, some headway 3 out, hit next, no impression
chased winner, ridden approaching 2 out, one pace from last
jumped left and mistake 2 out, held up in touch, chased leading pair approaching 11th, ridden 4 out, no impression when mistake last
in touch, pushed along after 11th, struggling next
held up, hit 6th, mistake 10th, outpaced 12th, kept on from 2 out, no impression
led until after 1st, mistake 7th, chased leaders until lost place approaching 11th, soon struggling
led after 1st, mistake 13th, shaken up to go clear after last, eased towards finish
Sue Smith won this event 12 months ago with Artic Jack and is taken to do so again with Chives, who is preferred to Lord Transcend and First Gold. The last mentioned has not won since landing the Heineken Gold Cup April 2003 and, while clearly still capable of decent form, is difficult to recommend on recent evidence. Top weight Hand Inn Hand has proved to be expensive to follow but his stable is back among the winners now and Henry Daly has freshened the gelding up by giving him a break. Grand National winner Bindaree will appreciate the underfoot conditions but has the Aintree marathon as his target again so is unlikely to be fully wound up here and a bigger threat may come from Lord Transcend, who is probably better than his showing in the Roland Meyrick behind Truckers Tavern would suggest. The vote though goes to Chives, who did little wrong in the Welsh National last time, remains well treated and will be well served by the going.
