in touch, headway after 6th, ridden to chase winner when blundered 3 out, soon weakened
in touch, effort after 7, soon weakened
led to 3rd, stayed prominent to 7th, soon weakened
always towards rear
prominent, jumped badly left 2nd, not fluent 6th, ridden to go 2nd 2 out, no chance with winner
tracked leaders, led after 7th, left clear 3 out, easily
hampered and blundered 2nd, behind from 4th, tailed off and pulled up before last
with leader, led 3rd, headed after 7th, soon weakened
De Blanc has more scope than the rest and can get recent losses back at the expense of Talama Lady, Maggie Gray and Lady Terimond. De Blanc, campaigned abroad on the Flat, quickly made her mark here when opening her account over hurdles at Stratford in March. She beat quite a few of the same rivals there that she met on her Newbury debut earlier and surely has more to offer. It has to be admitted that she was disappointing when odds-on at Exeter last time, but the course may not have suited her, and in the hope that enough rain will fall to take the sting out of the ground, she can make amends. Talama Lady was pulled up at Carlisle and has not really got the hang of jumping hurdles at speed yet, while Maggie Gray makes her debut over timber and has only raced on soft ground to date. Even so, they appear to be the best of the opposition, and if De Blanc runs up to her best form, there can only be one winner.