tracked leader, led 7th to approaching 9th, ridden and weakened approaching 2 out
behind, headway after 7th, weakened when mistake 3 out
held up in touch, lost place approaching 8th, soon weakened, tailed off
always prominent, led approaching 9th, ridden and headed approaching 2 out, weakened flat
led, not fluent 5th or next, headed 7th, ridden 9th, weakened approaching 3 out
in touch, lost place approaching 8th, ridden 3 out, stayed on from 2 out, kept on to take 2nd flat, no impression on winner
ridden 8th, always behind, tailed off when pulled up before last and dismounted
held up, headway after 6th, ridden to lead approaching 2 out, stayed on well
always behind, tailed off when pulled up before 2 out
mid-division, headway 7th, ridden and one pace from 3 out
An awful race in which The River Joker is a tentative selection to beat Auburn Spirit and Court Leney. This is definitely not the best of getting-out stakes and bets must be kept to the absolute minimum. The River Joker, a half-brother to the stable¿s River Challenge, is an out-and-out stayer whose only success came at Huntingdon last November. He did at least display battling qualities on that occasion, and on this stiff track will need to do the same. John Upson¿s charge has not been out since February but goes well fresh and for that reason alone is worth noting. Auburn Spirit won on his final outing at Plumpton last term when left clear by the fall of the leader at the last and is not one to put the mortgage on. Charm Offensive has won twice on the all-weather and is relatively lightly-raced over hurdles. However, on what he has shown so far over timber, he will struggle outside of selling company. Any moves in the market for Court Leney, whose stable are more normally seen at Fakenham, should be noted, but in a dire contest, the pin comes down on The River Joker.
