tracked leader and raced wide, mistake and lost place 7th, driven to chase leaders approaching 9th, narrow lead last, carried left and soon headed flat, bumped close home
held up and behind, ridden from 6th, pulled up after 7th
held up in touch, headway to chase leader 8th, ridden to lead 3 out, challenged and headed soon after 2 out, faded
5th, beated 4 lengths, held up behind, mistake 1st, never a danger
tracked leaders, ridden soon after 3 out, challenged 2 out, hung left under pressure flat, led last 50 yards, all out
led and keen, headed approaching 3 out, mistake and weakened quickly
The Martin Pipe-trained Murray River is a reluctant hero but, that said, is hard to get away from here and, with the Jonjo O'Neill pair looking modest, seems to have most to fear from Ashgar and Lady Lap Dancer. Tony McCoy teams up with the selection, who certainly has ability but also has his own ideas about racing. On the face of things, his second in a Newton Abbot seller last time - his first run at that level - is enough to make him competitive here. However, he does not relish a fight so we could be set for the McCoy blend of kid gloves and persuasion, an approach at which he excels. As we say, the O'Neill pair look modest, although Toon Society, again fitted with blinkers, might appreciate today's longer trip. That said, stable jockey Liam Cooper has elected to ride Supreme Priority. Gillespie made some late gains on the second of his bumper runs and is also stepping up in trip, while Fairtoto, a winner over two miles on the Flat at Warwick in June 2001, has won over hurdles, but that was back in 2000. He has shown little of late and has shown a tendency to pull hard too. This leaves Ashgar and Lady Lap Dancer. The latter won a Kelso seller on good to soft in November 2002 but has been lightly-campaigned since. That said, she has shown a decent level of form in the context of this contest and should strip fitter for her run at Hexham on September 14, her first for five months. It would not be a complete surprise if she exposed any flaws in the selection. Ashgar was second in a Southwell seller on his first run of the campaign, his first for nearly four months. He might appreciate this shorter trip today and, if connections have got to the bottom of a breathing problem he is said to have had, then he too can be given a chance. It's a seller that holds plenty of intrigue and, although one cannot be dogmatic about our reluctant hero, we'll side with Murray River.
