tracked leaders, led 7th, joined 3 out, ridden 2 out, kept on well
held up in rear, headway 8th, hit 4 out, ridden and weakened next
led, headed 4th, stayed prominent, ridden to chase leaders approaching 3 out, one pace
mid-division, lost place 8th, pulled up before 5 out
in touch, led 4th, headed approaching 7th, driven and every chance 3 out, soon one pace
mid-division, ridden approaching 3 out, kept on
held up towards rear, headway 8th, ridden to chase leader 3 out, stayed on to chase winner last, not reached winner
in touch, not jumped well, in rear when ridden 8th, no impression
prominent, lost place approaching 7th, weakened soon after
always in rear, ridden from 8th
Seebald bounced back to form at Cheltenham last time and, with Tony McCoy opting to ride him again, can score at the main expense of Cenkos, St Pirran and Impek. The selection was not having a good season prior to that Prestbury Park success but scotched that impression with a good win from Tikram, who had earlier won at the Cheltenham Festival. If he is the same mood, he ought to go well again. Cenkos often goes well in the big two-mile races and, as this one lacks a bit of strength in depth, the Queen Mother Chase fourth is entitled to go well again. Hot Shots finished well ahead of Cenkos at Ascot in December but is now 22 pounds worse off at the weights, and Cenkos is generally considered to be a spring horse too. Best of the others look to be St Pirran, the Grand Annual winner who is also a course and distance scorer, and Impek, Henrietta Knight's enigmatic but talented chaser, who has also won here and has class enough to run a big race. Overall, though, we will side with Seebald.
