mid-division, closer order approaching 10th, ridden soon after, weakened approaching last
behind from halfway
led, headed next, led again 4th, ridden when headed after last
mid-division, outpaced approaching 5th, styg on and strong run to lead after last
mid-division, ridden from 5th, no impression
led 2nd, driven and headed 4th, soon weakened
in touch, ridden approaching 5th, chased leaders 3 out, weakened after 2 out
mid-division, headway 4th, ridden and weakened 3 out
tracked leaders, hampered and lost place on bend after 4th, soon in rear, never nearer
in touch until ridden 5th, soon weakened
mid-division, ridden from 3 out, kept on, no chance with winner
keen in touch, ridden from halfway, kept on same pace
held up rear, headway 5th to track leaders, chased leader 2 out, every chance last, no extra
tracked leaders until ridden and weakened 5th
always towards rear
held up towards rear, headway on inside after 5th, tracking leaders approaching 2 out, weakened after last
This is competitive and forms a tricky centrepiece to a very good Newbury card. Interestingly, last year's race was won by Marble Arch, who ended the campaign by finishing second in the Champion Hurdle. Firestone is entitled to be improving and is at the right end of the handicap. Mulligatawny and Storm Prince are longtime absentees, as is Seixo Branco. The last-named was very useful in 2001, finishing second in a valuable Sandown hurdle and ending up running in the Scottish Champion Hurdle. He's clearly well handicapped if back to near his best. Sullys Hope is close to a winning mark and has been dropped a pound for a good Cheltenham effort. Ruby Walsh has been booked to ride and he rode him when he won at Stratford last season. Five-time winner Silk Trader is 9lbs higher than for his latest win but should strip fitter for his seasonal return which he will need to because, on literal form with Jacdor, Sullys Hope is weighted to beat him today. His trainer John Mackie also runs Haditovski, who is six pounds higher in the ratings than for his most-recent win. He is however, one of only two course and distance winners in the race and is capable of running a decent race. Maceo (the other course and distance winner in the contest) ran well here last time from today's mark (although a useful five-pound claimer from that day is replaced now), and comes here in good heart after a Wetherby win on 1 November. Rolling Tide (one of two Nicky Henderson runners and the choice of stable jockey Mick Fitzgerald) is very lightly raced, not that easy to assess but, overall, others are preferred in this competitive field. Agitando has raced only four times, but has wins at Market Rasen and Uttoxeter to his name and has scope for improvement, but the downside is his relative lack of experience. There is no doubt that Serenus (now with David Elsworth) is well handicapped on his Nicky Henderson form of four years ago but has failed to win over hurdles since and has been chasing. Native New Yorker is lightly raced and well regarded but can be a sloppy jumper. That said, the form of his win over Spectrometer looks pretty good and he is not without a chance here. Ambry comes here seeking a straight hat-trick of wins, although he has not raced for 189 days over hurdles. Tony McCoy has ridden him to victory the last two times but he will be amateur-ridden today. McCoy will be aboard his boss's Irish import Perkys Pride in this race. A dual novice winner at up to two-and-three-quarter miles at Navan, he will have plenty of use made of him here and, from such a strong yard, has to come into calculations. Pipe also runs Maragun, who is on the same mark as for his latest win and is closely weighted with Native New Yorker on lines through Spectrometer. Nicky Henderson's other runner is Valerio, about whom the handicapper has not taken any chances following his Market Rasen success although, on the plus side, he is lightly raced and his trainer holds him in high regard. Warjan has been raised five pounds for a Sandown win that was run at a false pace. However, the second and third ran well at Ascot last time and Richard Phillips' five-year-old appears to have benefited from a breathing operation. It's an open contest to mark the Tote Placepot's 25th Birthday and, with Ruby Walsh back in the saddle, Sullys Hope, despite all of his three previous wins coming at Stratford, is given as the TEAMtalk each-way selection with the danger being Valerio.
