chased leaders, ridden halfway, headway to go 2nd approaching 2 out, kept on, no chance with winner
chased leaders, outpaced 3 out, weakened next
led, mistake 5th, headed 3 out, soon weakened
raced keenly, tracked leader, lost place when jumped right and unseated rider 4th
mid-division, headway to track leader after 3rd, led 3 out, drew clear between last 2, pushed out, comfortably
keen early, held up towards rear, headway 5th, ridden to chase leaders after 3 out, kept on one pace from next
mid-division, headway to chase winner after 3 out, lost place next, soon beaten
A rematch here between recent Market Rasen first and second Desert Tommy and Quarry Island, and we fancy that Quarry Island can turn the tables on his rival, while Young Patriarch can go well on debut. Desert Tommy gave 2lb and a five length beating to Quarry Island in a similar contest at Rasen a couple of weeks ago, and the Evan Williams-trained gelding looked good enough in overcoming jumping problems that had seen him get no further than the fourth flight on his debut. However, Quarry Island has a 10lb pull here, plus the benefit of that debut under his belt, and with Tony Dobbin another big plus from the plate, he looks the one to be on today. Young Patriarch is sent north by Charlie Mann and has acted well enough on fast ground on the level in the past, suggesting that conditions will suit. Yet to jump a hurdle in public, he has a few questions to answer here, but if he is as good as his Flat rating of 63 suggests, then he should go very well and it will be no big surprise to see him thereabouts. Middleham Rose is a bit of a one pacer, but a safe conveyance, and she too will have hopes of running into a place again, though it will be a surprise if she is up to winning, and for that we return to Quarry Island to see them all off.