tracked leaders, hit 4 out, headway approaching next, ridden to challenge 2 out, stayed on well to lead close home
prominent, ridden after 16th, led approaching 3 out, hard ridden approaching last, headed and no extra close home
led, ridden and headed approaching 3 out, 4th and weakening when hit next
tracked leaders from 6th, ridden after 15th, kept on same pace from 3 out
chased leaders, blundered 13th, soon behind, tailed off
At one time Martin Pipe and Tony McCoy could just turn up at Newton Abbot and expect to grab the spoils, but Paul Nicholls is proving to be a big thorn in their side of late and might be once again. The big two look to have cornered this race, with the trio of Rugged River, Ambleside and Bally Lira out of their depth. Pipe's runner Imperial de Thaix made the most of a decent handicap mark when scoring at Cheltenham last April, but has not shined in two subsequent starts. Added to that, he was beaten by a Nicholls inmate, Satshoon, at Exeter last time, and has to give 19lbs away to that stable's representative Jack The Bear. He produced a great staying performance to defy an 18 month absence at Exeter recently and is still on a very handy mark. With Ruby Walsh in the saddle again, Jack The Bear gets a confident TEAMtalk vote.
