in touch, ridden and weakened soon after 3 out, pulled up next
in touch in rear, headway 3 out, ridden next, kept on same pace
close up, not fluent 5th, headway 4 out, chased leader next, every chance 2 out, led last, asserted towards finish
tracked leader, lost place 3 out, pulled up 2 out
led, ridden and joined 2 out, headed next, kept on one pace
tracked leaders, ridden 3 out, weakened flat
It’s a while since veteran Valtor ran over timber but he is rated 12lb higher over fences. Good Boy Bobby can also race off a lower mark than over fences and he came up against an improver at Perth last month. Mahlervous is also better known as a chaser nowadays but Stoney Mountain has been alternating between hurdles and fences and Cotswold Way’s last six runs have been over the smaller obstacles. COEUR SEREIN is arguably the only one of these on an upward curve and the form of his latest victory at Newbury has been franked. He’s been hit with a 12lb rise but needed all of the 3m to get his head in front last time so the extra furlong won’t do him any harm.
Stoney Mountain (IRE) 33-1 (11-3) Held up towards rear, keen early, no impression 3 out, stayed on flat, no impression, 7th of 19, 24 3/4l behind Hometown Boy (11-0) at Aintree 3m 1f hcp (1) gs in Apr.
Good Boy Bobby (IRE) 4-1 (11-12) Prominent, led 3rd, pushed approaching 2 out where held narrow advantage, ridden and headed before last, kept on well, 2nd of 6, 5 1/2l behind Kakamora (10-13) at Perth 2m 4f hcp (3) gd in Apr.
Coeur Serein (IRE) 6-4fav (12-0) Held up towards rear, niggled along 7th, ridden after 9th, closed 3 out, not much room and switched left before 2 out, went 2nd last, led final 100 yards, stayed on, won at Newbury 3m hcp (4) gs in Mar beating Soyouthinksoagain (11-3) by 3/4l, 11 ran.
Mahlervous (IRE) 22-1 (11-1) Chased leaders, not fluent 3rd, slow 6th, went 2nd 7th, mistake 4 out, not fluent 3 out, weakened before next, 6th of 11, dist behind Agrapart (11-12) at Kelso 3m 2f hcp (2) gs in Mar.
Valtor (FR) 14-1 (12-0) Led, not fluent 6th, hit 9th, ridden 3 out, mistake and headed next, no extra from last, 3rd of 7, 15 1/2l behind Fortescue (11-7) at Perth 3m hcp (3) gs in Apr.
Cotswold Way (IRE) 5-1 (10-13) Held up last, shaken up and ridden before 3 out, brief headway approaching 2 out, soon outpaced, no extra run-in, 3rd of 4, 10 3/4l behind Jersey Wonder (10-6) at Exeter 2m 7f hcp (3) gf in Apr.
