held up mid-division, never nearer
behind, stayed on from 3 out
behind when pulled up before 5th
prominent to 4th, ridden 5th, soon weakened
always towards rear
held up, headway to track leaders 4th, led approaching 2 out, soon clear, easily
mid-division, weakened approaching 3 out
in touch until ridden and weakened approaching 3 out
in touch, headway 3 out, soon one pace
prominent, tracked leader from 4th until ridden and weakened 5th, pulled up before 2 out
in touch, led 3rd, until ridden and headed after 6th, always held
A modest race on the face of it and it could be down to Saturday specialist Nicky Henderson to wrestle the prize with Magic Mistress with Rustic Charm, Volcano Snow and Wasted Talent likely to take on the challenge for the forecast slot. Magic Mistress was a huge disappointment for odds-on backers at Taunton and her jumping seemed to be the principal concern. No doubt the master of Seven Barrows has taken her back to the drawing board and reschooled her since. Rated 81 on the flat, she will not get easier opportunities than this. Rustic Charm was actually a half-decent maiden for Clive Cox on the flat. This is a significant drop in sight from the heady aspiratrions held prior to a Sandown juvenile event. Wasted Talent ran a stormer in a hot Newbury event in March. She failed to build on that show when second in a lesser contest at Hereford and while her form is solid, the suspicion is that she is better with faster ground. Volcano Snow looked a little one paced at Newcastle when finishing second to Rocket Bleu at Newcastle. The form of that contest took a severe knock last weekend when the winner ran a shocker at Hexham. Magic Mistress is given another chance to break her maiden.
