chased leaders, ridden and every chance 2 out, hit last, kept on to chase winner flat, no impression
held up, pushed along 3rd, driven and outpaced 5th, kept on from 2 out, no impression
held up in rear, headway when blundered 3 out, soon ridden and weakened
led, headed 3 out, ridden and weakened next, in 5th when pulled up after last, dismounted
tracked leader, led 3 out, ridden and headed last, weakened flat
tracked leaders, pushed along approaching 3rd, weakened approaching 3 out
held up towards rear, hit 7th, headway 3 out, ridden after 2 out, led and hit last, kept on well
Mr Christie can complete a hat-trick, with Beyond Borders, Irish Blessing and Bo Dancer seen as the main dangers. Mr Christie scored at Hexham in June and then overcame a break to follow up at Wetherby just four days ago. The 12-year-old ran in snatches but was coaxed home by Jim Crowley at the Yorkshire track, and as this race is no better, he is fancied to defy a penalty under Tom Siddall. Beyond Borders has been impossible to place, and has failed to score since making a winning debut at Listowel three years ago. He basically looks overrated on a mark of 90 and needs to tumble down the weights. Irish Blessing is another that has disappointed since coming across and has been pulled up on his last two starts, while Bo Dancer appears to be struggling to get fit, having had just four runs since 2002. It is a weak race by any standards, and so Mr Christie can once again prove best of a poor bunch.