mid-division to 6th, behind from 8th, tailed off
led 2nd, headed 10th, led again next, clear last, driven out
in rear, no chance when blundered and unseated rider 4 out
went badly left start, in rear to 3rd, tailed off from 9th
held up in touch, mistake 7th, headway next, mistake 3 out, weakened next
always in in rear, well behind when pulled up before 6th
in rear throughout, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out
led to 2nd, led again 10th, headed before next, weakened approaching 2 out
prominent to 5th, soon tailed off
tracked leaders, reminders after 5th, weakened 9th, behind when mistake 5th, pulled up before next
held up, headway 7th, ridden and close 4th when fell 3 out
in touch throughout, ridden and weakened approaching 2 out
Having shown only signs of ability from admittedly limited opportunities over timber, Saby seemed to improve greatly for going over the larger obstacles on his chasing debut and is taken to open his account at the expense of Tagar, Beat The Retreat and Jefertiti. Placed in two starts over fences in his native country, the French-bred Saby was always likely to do better once asked to go chasing by Philip Hobbs and the five-year-old all but made a winning debut when collared close home by Sandoran in a novices' handicap off a mark of 105 last month. That represents the best form on offer here and a reproduction of it should be good enough to beat Tagar, who looks the main danger. Nicky Henderson's gelding tackles fences for the first time having seemingly lost his way over hurdles and has claims if able to translate his best hurdling form over the larger obstacles. Beat The Retreat needs to improve on his latest five-length second to Extra Cache to take a hand, while Henrietta Knight's Jefertiti may need more time.
