chased leaders, lost place after 5th, weakened after 9th
prominent, went 2nd after 2nd until 4th, 2nd again approaching 8th, led approaching 3 out, headed after 3 out, weakening when mistake 2 out
held up in rear, jumped right 3rd, no chance from 8th, tailed off
held up in rear, not fluent 1st, no chance after 8th, mistakes last 2
mid-division, mistake 7th, blundered 9th, weakened approaching 3 out
held up towards rear, pushed along 6th, no chance after 8th, tailed off
raced keenly, led, mistake 1st, hit 4th and 6th, headed 7th, weakened after next, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out
in touch, not fluent 2nd, pecked 4th, reminder after 5th, ridden approaching 7th, weakened after 3 out
chased leader until after 2nd, 2nd again 4th, led and not fluent 7th, headed when mistake 3 out, soon weakened
mid-division, headway after 7th, ridden approaching 9th, led after 3 out, mistake 2 out, stayed on well
held up in touch, weakened after 7th, tailed off when pulled up before 9th
mid-division, headway 8th, every chance after 3 out, no impression when mistake last
held up towards rear, headway after 8th, weakening when mistake 3 out
mid-division, headway after 7th, weakened approaching 3 out
THEATRICAL MOMENT looks a good bet to land this maiden hurdle and he is chosen over Alaminos and Tisfreetdream. The selection is sure to come on for his reappearance effort at Towcester earlier in the month when he travelled well but blew up before finishing fourth to Shore Thing. He was formerly a smart bumper performer and if he can build on that promising reappearance run then he should prove hard to beat. David Pipe's Alaminos looks his main danger as he was only narrowly beaten on his debut in a bumper at Towcester. He is sure to have been well-schooled for this his hurdling debut and he should run a big race. Tisfreetdream ran well last time out but he has now found one too good on six of his last seven completed starts and we suspect he may have to settle for the role of bridesmaid again here. Alan King has three runners in this race and Mad Jack Duncan and Major Rumble make most appeal of the trio. However, it is hard to get away from Theatrical Moment who is a confident choice.
Fire And Rain (FR) 10-1 (10-12) Tracked leaders, ridden after 4th, weakening when blundered 3 out, left 4th last, 4th of 13, 41l behind Shalone (10-12) at Exeter 2m 1f nov hdl (4) gs.
Hammer Time (IRE) 5-1 (10-12) Chased leader, hampered and left in lead 6th, headed 3 out, soon ridden, weakened approaching last, 6th of 14, 15l behind Bertie May (10-12) at Exeter 2m 3f nov hdl (4) gs in Jan.
Hazeam 100-1 (10-12) Chased leader, led 2nd to 4th, soon weakened, tailed off when pulled up 3 out in race won by Lodge Lane (11-2) at Exeter 2m 3f nh nov hdl (4) sft in Jan, 17 ran.
Inspector Frost 20-1 (10-12) Held up, chased leading pair from 4th, jumped right 6th, pushed along after 3 out, weakened approaching 2 out, 7th of 9, 18l behind Take Me There (10-12) at Southwell 2m nh nov hdl (4) gd.
Mad Jack Duncan (IRE) 8-1 (11-2) Keen in mid-division, ridden over 3f out, kept on same pace, 7th of 13, 10l behind Cockney Trucker (11-2) at Sandown 2m nhf (5) gd in Feb.
Major Rumble 5-1 (11-2) Mid-division, headway 8f out, ridden over 3f out, weakened over 2f out, 7th of 15, 15l behind Choctaw Nation (10-12) at Uttoxeter 2m mdn nhf (6) gf in May.
Matako (FR) 33-1 (11-4) Pulled hard, headway to track leaders after 2f, ridden over 2f out, weakened over 1f out, 6th of 14, 16l behind Front Of House (11-8) at Ludlow 2m nhf (5) gd in Apr.
Sexy Rexy (IRE) 6-1 (10-7) Chased leaders, weakened after 3 out, mistake next, 4th of 12, 34l behind Another Brother (10-12) at Uttoxeter 2m 6f nh nov hdl (4) sft.
Theatrical Moment (USA) 7-4 (10-12) Chased leaders, lost place approaching 2 out, 4th of 12, 16l behind Shore Thing (11-8) at Towcester 2m mdn hdl (3) gd.
Tisfreetdream (IRE) 7-2 (10-9) Mid-division, headway 5th, chased winner 3 out, challenging 2 out, no chance with winner to stay beaten last, 2nd of 13, 7l behind Tarablaze (10-12) at Uttoxeter 2m 6f nov hdl (4) gs.
Alaminos (FR) 15-2 (10-10) Mid-division, raced keenly, headway to track leaders over 5f out, ridden 2f out, led over 1f out, headed towards finish, 2nd of 15, 1 1/2l behind Arturo Uno (11-2) at Towcester 2m nhf (5) gd in Apr.
Haldibari (IRE) 9-1 (11-7) Mid-division, ridden when hit 3 out, weakened next, tailed off when pulled up at the last in race won by Special Day (10-6) at Newbury 2m 3f 4yo nov hcp hdl (3) sft in Mar, 13 ran.
Perfect Line 14-1 (10-7) Mid-division, lost place over 7f out, tailed off when virtually pulled up 2f out, 11th of 12, well behind Voice of Reason (11-9) at Warwick 2m nhf lst (1) hvy in Jan.
You And I (IRE) (11-7) won at Athenry 3m ire ptp sft in Apr beating Chariot Charger (11-7) by a nk, 9 ran.
Foxriver (IRE) 18-1 (10-5) Held up towards rear, lost touch from 9th, tailed off, last of 10, well behind Strong Coffee (10-12) at Southwell 3m nov hdl (4) gd.
Patsy Finnegan 66-1 (11-1) Led, ridden and headed approaching 3 out, weakening when hit 2 out, 7th of 14, 32l behind Georgian King (11-1) at Exeter 2m 6f nh nov hdl (4) gd in Apr.