held up towards rear, smooth headway to lead approaching last, ridden and soon headed one pace flat
mid-division, smooth headway to chase leaders approaching last, led after last going well, soon shaken up and driven clear
keen early and held up, ridden 4 out, soon beaten
led, hit 3rd, clear 3 out, ridden and headed approaching last and weakened flat
raced keenly in mid-division until weakened after 4 out
tracked leaders, chased leaders approaching 3 out, soon ridden and weakened from next
always towards rear and beaten from 4 out
Always Best should be of interest given his good effort on his hurdling debut in November but he hasn't been seen since and our preference is for SIR MULBERRY HAWK ahead of Catch Bob. Alan Swinbank's gelding has failed to get off the mark in four starts so far, but he is fancied to be a different proposition now tackling hurdles for the first time. A brother to Sir Boreas Hawk, he is likely to be more effective over a longer trip in time but he could be good enough to win today, with the seemingly never-ending home straight likely to play to his strengths. Catch Bob is an obvious rival; Ferdy Murphy's son of Bob Back has failed to get off the mark in four starts over hurdles but his effort behind Strokestown in January reads well and a repeat of that may be enough. Hunting Tower has his first start on these shores and is not one to take lightly coming from a shrewd outfit, whilst Dollar Mick and River Mint make their hurdling debuts today and cannot be overlooked, although the former will be seen to better effect over a longer trip. This looks a good bit of placing and Sir Mulberry Hawk can win on his hurdling debut.
Always Best 66-1 (10-12) Held up towards rear, headway approaching 2 out, left 3rd after last until no extra close home, 4th of 16, 15l behind Signalman (10-5) at Kelso 2m nh nov hdl (4) sft in Nov.
Bale O'shea (IRE) 66-1 (11-10) Never better than mid-division, 16th of 24, well behind Themoonandsixpence (11-12) at Fairyhouse 2m 4f mdn hdl sft in Feb.
Catch Bob (IRE) 11-4 (11-1) Held up, headway to go clear 2nd 4th, kept on same pace, no chance with winner, 2nd of 9, 13l behind Reindeer Dippin (11-1) at Hexham 2m nh nov hdl (4) sft in Mar.
Howards Dream (IRE) 100-1 (10-12) Behind, weakened 4 out, 7th of 9, well behind Frontier Dancer (11-5) at Perth 2m nh nov hdl (4) gd.
Jalamid (IRE) 50-1 (10-9) Led to 4th, weakened from 5th, pulled up before 2 out, in a race won by Coronado's Gold (10-12) at Market Rasen 2m 1f sell hdl (4) gd in Jun, 12 ran.
River Mint 5-1 (11-7) Ref to race, in a race won by Devil Water (12-0) at Overton 2m 4f ptp in Feb, 9 ran.
Sir Mulberry Hawk 15-8fav (11-4) Led, ridden and headed over 3f out, weakened final furlong, 4th of 14, 12l behind Ballybriggan (10-13) at Wetherby 2m NH flat (6) gd in Mar.
Dollar Mick (IRE) 66-1 (10-4) Mid-division until lost place 6f out, 11th of 16, 47l behind Shut The Bar (10-0) at Catterick 2m mdn NH flat (6) gs in Jan.
Hunting Tower 25-1 (10-12) Towards rear, ridden in 8th and no impression before 3 out, kept on one pace from last, 5th of 9, 27l behind Oh So Humbel (11-7) at Downpatrick 2m 2f hdl gd in Mar.
