chased leaders, led 5th, clear 3 out, easily
chased leaders, ridden and hung left approaching 3 out, soon weakened
prominent to 7th
prominent, jumped slow and lost place 1st, headway 5th, outpaced 7th, rallied 3 out, stayed on to go 2nd flat, no chance with winner
prominent to 4th, tailed off when pulled up before 7th
chased leaders, went 2nd 7th, ridden 3 out, no extra
mid-division, headway 8th, ridden approaching 3 out, soon weakened
led to 5th, weakened 8th, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out
behind, headway 7th, ridden approaching 3 out, soon weakened
led, not fluent 6th, effort after 8th, soon weakened
Nonrunner
Air Guitar has found one too good in each of his last two starts and should again be thereabouts but may have to settle for a minor role once more with preference for Banchory Two, who gets the vote ahead of Mac Dargin. The last mentioned was a point winner in Ireland last winter and made an encouraging rules debut when fourth behind Dunbell Boy at Chepstow last month, a run for which the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained gelding should come on for. He has to be respected and makes more appeal than newcomer Penny Park or Paul Webber's Freeline Fury, who has shown some ability in bumpers but lacks any hurdling experience. Course bumper winner Oscar Foxbow is likely to need his first run of the season and while the same could be said of Banchory Two, the Paul Nicholls-trained gelding has shown enough in the past to suggest that he may have enough in hand to not be fully race fit but still be good enough to beat these.
Air Guitar (IRE) 2-1 (10-12) Held up in touch, headway approaching 3rd, every chance 2 out, hung left, one pace flat, 2nd of 12, 3l behind United Spirit (10-5) at Huntingdon 2m nov hdl (E) gf in Sept.
Banchory Two (IRE) 6-1 (11-1) Held up towards rear, headway after 6th, ridden and every chance after 3 out, hung left next, one pace after, 4th of 16, 13l behind Standin Obligation (11-1) at Exeter 2m 6f nh nov hdl (E) gd in Apr.
Dans Edge (IRE) 12-1 (10-5) Always behind, weakened from 6th, 11th of 15, well behind Nor'nor'east (10-12) at Wetherby 2m 4f nh nov hdl (E) sft in Oct.
Freeline Fury 15-2 (11-4) Led, headed after 6f, ridden 8f out, weakened over 3f out, 3rd of 7, 13l behind My Skipper (10-11) at Ludlow 2m nhf (H) sft in Mar.
Mac Dargin (IRE) 7-2 (11-2) Always prominent, chased leaders until led approaching 4 out, headed approaching 3 out, weakened before last, 4th of 9, 9l behind Dunbell Boy (11-2) at Chepstow 3m mdn hdl (F) sft in Oct.
Oscar Foxbow (IRE) 9-1 (11-4) Held up, effort after 6th, soon weakened, 6th of 13, 34l behind Jack's Lad (10-11) at Ludlow 2m nh mdn hdl (E) gs in Feb.
Penny Park (IRE) (12-0) won at Clonakilty 3m mdn stk gd in May beating Keep'nitreal (12-0) by 5l, 13 ran.
Star Fever (IRE) 20-1 (10-8) Soon behind, 3rd of 6, well behind Nautic (10-8) at Towcester 2m nh nov hdl (E) gf in May.
