always prominent, led and hit 3 out, mistake 2 out, hard ridden, hung right and mistake last, driven out
prominent, mistake 6th, ridden and weakened after 8th
held up, headway 6th, ridden and weakened approaching 3 out, beaten when mistake 2 out, left 3rd last
led 3rd, ridden and headed approaching 3 out, soon beaten, 10 lengths 3rd when blundered and unseated rider last
always prominent, led briefly approaching 3 out, not quicken flat
held up, headway after 6th, ridden and weakened approaching 3 out
held up in touch, weakened 6th, tailed off when pulled up before 2 out
not fluent 4th, always behind, tailed off
in touch until not much room and lost place 6th, well behind when slipped up after 7th
led to 3rd, weakend quickly 6th, tailed off when pulled up before 7th
mid-division, headway 6th, ridden after 8th, weakened approaching 3 out, slightly hampered last
held up in touch, ridden 4th, weakened approaching 8th
always behind, tailed off
behind until pulled up before 6th
in touch until weakened approaching 7th
prominent, mistake 2nd, ridden and lost place 6th, soon weakened, tailed off
mid-division, headway 6th, not fluent next, soon weakened, tailed off
Despite the large numbers in the finale, only a handful can really be considered, and Winsley taken to add to his previous course and distance success, with Ziggy Zen, Thread of Honour and Rakalackey his main rivals. Oliver Sherwood has enjoyed a change of fortune this season, with Winsley adding to his cause twice already. Having made a winning bumper debut at Folkestone in November, he shrugged off a poor effort at Aintree by opening his account over hurdles at the first time of asking here last month. He looked much more comfortable going right-handed and once again has the assistance of Tony McCoy in his bid to defy a penalty. Ziggy Zen, formerly with Charles Cyzer on the Flat, finally overcame a back problem when making a winning debut over hurdles at Kempton in January. He was receiving lumps of weight from Overstrand so it would not do to go overboard about his success, but the fact that his trainer reckons he has the potential to run in the SunAlliance Hurdle Hurdle suggests that it would be folly to under-rate his chance here. Henrietta Knight saddles both Toy Boy and Thread of Honour and the latter is preferred, both on jockey bookings and on the fact that he is stepped up to a more suitable trip. Rakalackey failed to get involved at Wincanton after opening his account nicely at Market Rasen earlier. The ground may have been a bit soft for him last time, and he has a penalty to overcome, so is passed over, but he is a half-brother to Young Spartacus, so is one to remember when he goes chasing. It is an interesting affair for future reference, and for now we nominate Winsley as the answer.
