made virtually all, stayed on strongly run-in
with winner, every chance 3 out and 2 out, soon ridden, stayed on to regain 2nd towards finish
soon well behind, hampered 9th, tailed off when pulled up before 14th
tracked leaders, pushed along in 4th when fell 4 out
tracked leaders, weakened quickly and pulled up before 9th
in touch, blundered 15th, effort when not fluent 2 out, ridden to chase winner approaching last until no extra towards finish
Cimarrone Cove comes from a stable that knows the time of day and is selected to beat Geordies Express and Trivial in the finale. Cimarrone Cove has been around a few trainers in his time and was once quite a useful novice chaser for Mark Pitman. Things have not gone right for the son of Roselier over the past couple of seasons, and indeed since going hunter-chasing his jumping seems to have gone to pieces, but there is light at the end of the tunnel as he ran his best race yet when second to Paddy For Paddy at Huntingdon eight days ago. The drop in trip and faster ground will suit and he gets the vote over Geordies Express. The latter is a dual course and distance winner at Kelso but has not shown enough of late to warrant support. Trivial, successful over hurdles at Perth two years ago, is another that is hard to fancy, having looked at his career record, and so Cimarrone Cove should take the beating as long as his jumping holds up.