in touch, headway 3rd, ridden after 5th, kept on to take 2nd close home
led, hit first, reminders 3rd, ridden and headed after 3 out, soon weakened
held up, headway 5th, led 2 out, driven out
track leader to 3rd, weakened 5th
mid-division, headway 4, ridden approaching 3 out, soon weakened
tracked leaders to 5th, weakened quickly, tailed off when pulled up before 2 out
keen, mid-division, headway 5th, led after 3 out, soon ridden, hit and headed 2 out, kept on flat
Maniatis, Awesome Wells and Court Of Justice are all shortlisted for this claiming hurdle and the tentative vote is given to Maniatis. The 7-year-old unseated his rider last time at Chepstow and had previously been pulled-up, but he looks the one to beat on his Boxing Day win over It's A Wrap at Uttoxeter. Although he is clearly not the most straightforward sort, he is still open to further improvement and is worth another chance. Awesome Wells is another that was pulled-up last time but his win over Misty Future last March is solid form and a reproduction of that effort would make him a leading player. The suspicion is that he might just need this run though and he is another that has shown a tendency to disappoint his supporters. Court Of Justice is a course and distance winner who is entitled to respect, but he was disappointing last time when down the field behind Bob The Piler at Newcastle. Jazzaam has shown a modicum of ability so could be capable of running on into a place, but in a race full of imponderables we are happy to stick with Maniatis as the selection.
