led, hard pressed by winner between last 2, headed soon after last, ridden and kept on flat, not pace of winner
disputed 2nd, reminder 2nd, close up when blundered and unseated rider 10th
tracked leader, left clear 2nd 10th, 1 length down when mistake 2 out, joined leader going well between last 2, led soon after last, pushed clear flat, readily
held up 4th and last, left 3rd 10th, struggling 13th, soon tailed off
The market often tells a story in hunter chases' at the track so close attention should be paid to the betting however without that information we are happy to side with ALWAYS RIGHT ahead of Almost Blue and Doc Row. Normally it's the North East tracks that John Wade likes to have winners at but the selection has been up to Scotland before and he would have been unbeaten in two starts had he not fallen late on at Ayr a year ago. He then wasn't disgraced in the big Foxhunters' Chase at Cheltenham and if he is fit and raring to go on this seasonal reappearance then he may be hard to beat. He has shown good form on a variety of ground so the hope is that this going will not be a big problem. Know The Ropes has also been off the track for a while but this ground may not be ideal on this comeback, so a bigger threat should be Almost Blue. He is a course winner and although he was pulled-up on a recent outing between the flags it should have helped in regard to fitness. First Look was involved in an eventful race here last month and another slog in the mud may not be ideal, so Doc Row is more likely to feature. He ran a blinder here on the same day when second to Or De Grugy in a better race than this one and with the ground to suit and that run likely to have blown away any cobwebs he looks a big player. The selection is Always Right, but only just.
Doc Row (IRE) 7-2 (10-6) Led until after 2nd, tracked leader, led again 12th, headed 14th, ridden after 3 out, kept on from last, always held, 2nd of 6, 6l behind Or de Grugy (10-7) at Kelso 2m 6f Amateur Handicap Chase (0-135) (5yo+) (3) sft in Feb.
First Look (FR) 20-1 (11-13) Held up towards rear, behind approaching 13th, left remote 4th from 14th, 3rd of 8, well behind Robbers Glen (12-6) at Kelso 3m 1f hts chs (6) sft in Feb.
Always Right (IRE) 2-5 (13-1) In tch; qcknd to ld 3 out; held on up flat, won at Mordon 3m 5f ptp gd in May beating Allborn Lad (12-0) by 4l, 9 ran.
Know The Ropes (IRE) 3-1 (12-0) Held up; went 2nd 3 out; drvn to chall nxt; one pce, 2nd of 3, 2l behind Network Oscar (12-4) at Alnwick 3m ptp in Mar '09.
Almost Blue (IRE) 9-1 (12-5) A bhnd; to & pu 2 out, in a race won by Briscoe Place (12-5) at Friars Haugh 3m ptp gd in Feb, 10 ran.
