prominent, pushed along and lost place approaching 14th, went remote 2nd approaching 2 out, no chance with winner
held up, headway 12th, led approaching 4 out, ridden when fell 3 out
prominent, led after 13th, headed approaching 4 out, no impression on leaders when badly hampered when left 2nd briefly 3 out, soon weakened
led to after 2nd, led again approaching 4th, headed after 13th, weakened 5 out
held up, not fluent 8th, headway approaching 14th, close 2nd when hampered when left in lead 3 out, clear next, eased flat
led after 2nd, headed approaching 4th, chased leader until 10th, weakened 13th, tailed off when pulled up before 4 out
With a doubt remaining about the general form of Martin Pipe's horses added to the fact that he showed little on his comeback after a lengthy absence, Armen looks worth taking on in the opener and we do so with Mister Banjo who gets the vote over Dear Deal. The last mentioned returned to winning ways when landing a handicap at Kempton earlier in the month and has to be respected now that the stable of Colin Tizzard is back among the winners. However, preference is for Mister Banjo, who overcame an absence since April 2001 when landing a decent novices' chase at Bangor in December. The runner-up, Patricksnineteenth won in better company last week to frank the form and it may be that the Paul Nicholls-trained gelding "bounced" at Sandown last time. The eight-year-old is certainly the form pick on what he showed at Bangor and, in the hope that he can reproduce that form, he gets the verdict. Mark Pitman has been struggling to find winners of late so Be My Destiny is difficult to fancy and a bigger threat may come from Gielgud, especially as his yard are coming out of a lean spell now. Mister Banjo has solid claims though and looks worth another chance.
