went left start and refused to race
led until not fluent 3 out, weakened before next
2nd early, chased leaders, closed 7th, led 3 out, clear 2 out, very easily
in rear, headway 7th, not fluent next, chased winner after 3 out, mistake and no extra 2 out, mistake last
tracked leader after 1st, not fluent 6th, mistake and dropped to last 9th, pulled up after next
New Agenda is two from two here over hurdles but was pulled up on his fencing bow at Ludlow in the autumn. Miss Night Owl has been placed in points so the switch to fences may well suit Tom George’s mare. Utility and Comanche Chieftain both have useful hurdling form and the latter, in particular, could be well treated on his chasing debut but CAPITOUL’s all-the-way win here last month was franked when the second scored at Ludlow earlier this week and Richard Newland’s novice can defy an 11lb rise in the weights.
Utility (GER) 25-1 (11-12) Held up rear of mid-division, not fluent 5th, headway on outside after next, not fluent next, 6th and struggling 3 out, 7th of 10, dist behind Fixed Rate (10-13) at Doncaster 2m 3f hcp (3) gs in Dec.
Miss Night Owl 2-1 (11-12) Led, headed after 3 out, ridden and outpaced by front pair after next, weakened and lost 3rd before last, 4th of 5, 14l behind Stepover (10-5) at Hereford 2m hcp (3) gd in Nov.
Capitoul (FR) 7-1 (11-5) Tracked leader, jumped well, led approaching 4th, 10 lengths clear 3 out, stayed on strongly, won at Huntingdon 2m hcp (4) gd in Apr beating Nightfly (11-4) by 10l, 8 ran.
Comanche Chieftain (CAN) 18-1 (11-4) Led until 3 out, weakened after next, tailed off, 14th of 15, dist behind Magic Dancer (10-11) at Cheltenham 2m 1f hcp (3) gd in Apr.
New Agenda 14-1 (9-6) Held up towards rear, niggled along over 3f out, never involved, 6th of 8, 8 1/4l behind Extra Mile (9-1) at Chelmsford City 1m 2f hcp (4) pol in Apr.
