in touch, headway halfway to chase leaders, outpaced 5 out
led, headed 10th, led again 12th, headed after 5 out, close 3rd when fell next
towards rear, pushed along 6th, ridden halfway, soon weakened, tailed off and pulled up before 12
raced keen, track leaders, ridden approaching 13, weakened after 5 out, behind when mistake 3 out
held up in rear, headway 11th, tracked leaders going well 5 out, led after 3 out, clear last, comfortably
track leaders, led 10th, headed 12th, blundered 5 out, weakened quickly and pulled up before next
in touch, mistake 6th, blundered and lost place next, left 3rd 4 out, no impression
towards rear, weakened halfway, tailed off and pulled up before 12th
in touch, headway to lead after 5 out, headed after 3 out, no chance with winner
Looking Forward might just provide the answer here with Yankie Lord, The Merry Mason and Gangsters R Us others to consider. The selection looked progressive when scoring at Sedgefield and Catterick in April and November last year and his last run can be forgiven as the going was bottomless at Newcastle that day. He is rated only two pounds higher now than for the latest of those successes and, with a good three-pound claimer booked, is entitled to go well. Yankie Lord's course win in 2002 came from just a pound-lower mark and, with a good three-pound claimer booked too, is entitled to supporters with a good claimer booked too. Dual hurdle winner The Merry Mason, ran better than his finishing position might suggest when third over course and distance after a lay-off last time, while Vidi Caesar has proven consistent from around his current mark but can't quite seem to get his head in front. Gangsters R Us won here over a shorter trip from a mark of 80 last time. He remains competitive on going that he likes, although he is not fully proven at today's trip. Of the others, Middleway won a hurdle here last month from a mark of 79. He's rated 72 for this race but he has so far only raced only three times over fences under Rules, failing to complete on two of those occasions. Overall, then, for us the percentage call is Looking Forward.
