chased leader from 4th, ridden after 7th, weakened next
held up in rear, ridden approaching 3 out, soon weakened
held up, headway when blundered 7th, ridden 3 out, weakened next
held up in touch, headway 6th, led 2 out, ridden out
held up in touch, headway 6th, led approaching next ridden when headed and pecked 2 out, kept on
chased leader to 4th, weakened 6th
led and soon clear, headed approaching 7th, weakened quickly, tailed off when blundered badly and unseated rider 2 out
Island Stream gets our vote here ahead of Mister Chisum, Modem and The Fairy Flag. The selection contested decent juvenile hurdles last year but his form then tailed off until his first run this season when second from today's mark at Stratford. He's entitled to improve on that and looks set to run a big race. Mister Chisum has been disappointing following a good run over course and distance in June. A return to that level of form gives him chances. Modem won a course and distance seller in October from a mark of 89, now races off 95 but James Davies takes a very useful five pounds off his back. The Fairy Flag won on the Flat this summer and won a couple of juvenile hurdles in 2001. However, her form then tailed off badly over hurdles. Montesino ran well at Aintree last time, his first real form, but he was allowed a soft lead that day. Now a 12-year-old, Harem Scarem won a selling hurdle at Leicester in 2001 from a mark of 73 and is now rated 74. However, all of his wins, including over chases, have come with give in the ground and, overall, given that he is unraced for a year, we prefer others. Espere d'Or is very hard to fancy. This brings us back to the selection, which is Island Stream.
