in touch, challenged from 4 out, ridden and stayed on from same pace next
held up in mid-division, smooth headway to track leaders 3 out, every chance next, ridden and weakened before last
held up in rear, headway from 3 out, 5th and staying on same pace when fell last
held up in rear, smooth headway to track leaders from 2 out, joined winner last, one pace and held flat
tracked leaders, led 4th, blundered 3 out, headed and weakened next
took keen hold, tracked winner, led 3rd to next, weakened after 3 out
tracked leaders, ridden 4 out, soon weakened
in touch, challenged from 4 out, upsides winner and every chance 2 out, weakened and hit last
held up in mid-division, effort and going well 3 out, weakened after next, no chance when slightly hampered last
led to 3rd, stayed close up, challenged 3 out, led narrowly next, joined last, stayed on gamely flat
always behind, pushed along after 4th, hit 4 out, no chance when mistake 2 out
In the card's finale we will side Self Defense ahead of Howle Hill, Adopted Hero and Exotic Dancer. While he has not quite lived up to the hopes entertained for him following his very good fourth, when a novice, in the 2003 Champion Hurdle, Self Defense proved on the Flat last season that he still retains a lot of basic ability. A switch to Patrick Chamings may also have helped to refocus him, although Emma Lavelle did a great job with him beforehand. He can go well, as can the recent Elite Hurdle third, Howle Hill, who had Albuhera well behind him in that race and can confirm those placings, and who had Adopted Hero seven lengths behind him in the JCB Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham in March, although the latter is six pounds better off at the weights now, also looks set to run a good race. Martin Pipe's Lough Derg would have been interesting but for the facts that Timmy Murphy is riding Distant Prospect and Jamie Moore is on Adopted Hero. Decent though he is, Distant Prospect probably needs to improve to score but Jonjo O'Neill's French import, Exotic Dancer, is certainly one that should be paid all due respect. Overall, though, in what is a good line-up for the Gerry Feilden, we will side with Self Defense.
