towards rear, never dangerous
held up, in touch, ridden after 3 out, no extra from between last two
held up, in touch, headway 3 furlongs out, headed next, ridden out.
tracked leaders, led 3 out, ridden and headed next, 2 lengths down when blundered last, no extra flat.
held up towards rear, headway to chase leaders 3 out, soon ridden and effort, kept on one pace from next.
held up in rear, headway under pressure 2 out, stayed on to chase winner, run in.
held up in mid-divisions, headway 3 out, soon ridden and effort, weakening when mistake 2 out.
towards rear never dangerous
tracked leader, ridden approaching 3 out, weakened before next
led, ridden and headed 3 out, weakened between last 2
A good contest this one and cases can be made out for a few of them, but we will side with Scarletti in receipt of 7lb from top weight Backcraft, with Ambushed and Westgate Run to fight out the minors. The selection last ran over hurdles here in April, when second over two and a half miles. However, he has been kept going with a couple of runs on the flat since and comes here fit. Jonjo O'Neill's charge loves the ground and is a course and distance winner, so he might just be good enough here. The one who will surely give him most to do is Backcraft, from the Lungo-Dobbin combination, who do so well here. An easy winner at Hexham last time, the gelding is now upped 13lb as a result, and though he too will relish trip and going, the weight rise might just be too much for him to cope with. Of the remainder, both Ambushed and Westgate Run reoppose here after the former finished two and a half lengths clear of his rival last time. However, a 7lb penalty means that Ambushed will be hard pressed to hold that form and Westgate Run may finish in front of him this time. But Scarletti, who makes the long trip up from the Cotswolds, gets out vote here.
