in touch, headway approaching 3 out, led 2 out, hung left approaching last, all out
mid-division, ridden approaching 2 out, mistake last, kept on
chased leader, led approaching 4th, headed 5th, led again after 3 out, headed next on weakening
held up, headway 4th, ridden to challenge 2 out, staying on when not much room flat, held towards finish
struggling from halfway, pulled up before 5th
tracked leaders, led 5th, ridden and headed after 3 out, soon weakened
left in lead 1st, headed approaching 4th, weakened after 4 out
held up mid-division, ridden approaching 2 out, weakened
led when unseated rider 1st
in touch, ridden approaching 2 out, kept on one pace from next
mid-division approaching 2 out, soon weakened
always behind
Named At Dinner can gain due reward here, with Travel, Royal Glen and Word Gets Round others worth a second look. Named At Dinner pays his first visit to Perth and is bidding for his first career win, having been a maiden on the Flat before finding an opening over timber just as elusive so far. However, a closer inspection of his form reveals that Lucinda Russell's charge has finished second on four of his eight outings over hurdles, including a head defeat by the useful Iron Man at Ayr in November. On that form he is not badly handicapped and deserves to get his head in front at last. Royal Glen has already done that at Hexham last time, but that was in selling company and the ground was much softer so he has more to do. Travel tops the weights after competing against better opposition, and was successful at Stratford last July. He has been off the track since October though and that too will count against him. Word Gets Round looked a progressive sort this time last year but has plenty of weight for what he has achieved, and so we rely on Named At Dinner.
Travel (POL) 25-1 Behind, some headway approaching 2 out, 10th of 21, 34l behind Calatagan at Cheltenham 2m cnd hcp hdl 0-135 (E) gd in Oct.
Lofty Leader (IRE) 33-1 Held up in rear, headway 3 out, effort 2 out, weakened last, 9th of 19, 37l behind Romany Prince at Kelso 2m nov hdl (C) gs in Apr.
Word Gets Around (IRE) 11-1 Towards rear, never dangerous, 8th of 13, 23l behind Donovan at Kelso 2m 2f hcp hdl (D) sft in Apr.
Heraclitean Fire (IRE) 25-1 Settled 4th, pulled hard early, close 3rd after 4 out, no extra from next, 3rd of 7, 27l behind Doctor Linton at Down Royal 2m 4f hdl sft in Feb.
Named At Dinner 6-1 Disputed lead, led 4th, headed after 3 out, soon one pace, 3rd of 12, 11l behind Andre Chenier at Kelso 2m 4yo nov hdl (E) sft in Apr.
Five Gold (IRE) 8-1 Led, hit 3rd and next, headed 2 out, soon ridden and beaten, 6th of 14, 25l behind He's Hot Right Now at Sedgefield 2m 1f hcp hdl 0-100 (F) gd.
Royal Glen (IRE) 66-1 Mid-division, headway 3 out, led last, driven out flat, won at Hexham 2m sll hdl (G) gd in Apr beating Talarive by 3l, 13 ran.
Off The Edge (AUS) 10-1 Held up towards rear, headway and every chance 3 out, soon ridden, weakened after 2 out, 13th of 23, 19l behind Mr Bigglesworth at Wetherby 2m amt hcp hdl 0-100 (F) gd in Apr.
