led from 6th, easily
tracked leaders, no impression from 3 out
led to 6th, chased winner, no impression
Beggars Cap appears to have been found a decent opportunity to record his second win over fences. Caulkleys Bank and Black Cloud are the dangers. Beggars Cap's recent success came on soft ground at Carlisle but he won over hurdles on fast ground in the summer so the conditions shouldn't pose any problems. It was a pretty impressive performance in a decent race that day and there doesn't appear to be anything of the same quality lurking amongst today's opposition. Caulkleys Bank hasn't been seen since winning a selling hurdle in impressive fashion in 2006. He had shown enough in maiden and novice contests to make him of interest but he has plenty to prove making his chase bow after a lengthy spell on the sidelines. It's impossible to envisage Champagne Rossini going close and it takes a stretch of the imagination to see Black Cloud getting involved too. He's finished towards the rear in all three completed runs over hurdles and will need to improve out of recognition for the switch to chasing. All in all, this should be straightforward for Beggars Cap.
Beggars Cap (IRE) 3-1 (11-0) Raced keenly, tracked leader, led after 3rd, headed 2 out, soon ridden, rallied on under pressure to lead again flat, won at Carlisle 2m nov chs (3) sft beating Open de L'Isle (10-11) by a hd, 8 ran.
Caulkleys Bank 11-4fav (11-12) Mid-division, headway 4 out, led approaching 2 out, soon clear, won at Catterick 2m sll hcp hdl 0-95 (5) gs in Nov '06 beating Grey Samurai (11-7) by 8l, 17 ran.
Champagne Rossini (IRE) 80-1 (10-9) Chased leaders, blundered 6th, behind when pulled up at the 7th in race won by Cedrus Libani (11-10) at Catterick 2m nov chs (3) gd in Dec, 7 ran.
Black Cloud 100-1 (11-2) In touch, weakened 4 out, behind when brought down 2 out in race won by Rapscallion (11-5) at Kempton 2m cnd nov hcp hdl (4) gs in Nov, 18 ran.
