held up, headway approaching 8th, soon weakened, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out
held up in touch, headway 6th, led last, ridden out
soon pushed along, always behind, tailed off and pulled up before 3 out
in touch, disputing 4th when fell 7th
chased leaders, ridden after 8th, weakening when mistake 3 out
jumped right, led, ridden and headed after 8th, left in lead 4 out, ridden and headed 2 out, weakened last
chased leader, led after 8th, blundered and headed 4 out, ridden to lead again 2 out, headed last, stayed on well
The best race of the day has to be one of the most competitive with Lord Of The Hill, Ceresford, Bernanbon and Marked Man all having serious chances and the vote going to the last mentioned of the quartet. Lord Of The Hill, who normally front runs, adopted different tactics at Aintree last month and proved he can do it both ways. He loves good fast ground and has been in great form all season but feel the handicapper has now got hold of him. Horses can only improve so much in such a short space of time and Lord Of The Hills time has come. Ceresford was behind him at Aintree that day and still has to find improvement, while the stable's other string Bernanbon has A P on board. Bernanbon who won at Kelso on his penultimate start failed to capitalize on a one pound rise in the weights at Warwick thereafter and looks an unreliable type. That brings us back to Marked Man who is in the form of his life at present and even though his hat-trick at Bangor was thwarted by Polar Red we feel he can bounce back to run his rivals into the ground.
