made all, drew clear from 12th, unchallenged after, canter
chased front pair to 4th, always 4th and last after, lost touch 11th
tracked winner, blundered 2nd, lost place 10th, no chance with front pair from 12th
held up 4th and last, tracked front pair from 4th, went 2nd at 10th, no chance with winner from 12th
It’s hard to see Barney Boy or Mari Me Oscar getting involved here unless something happens to the other pair and BAGAD BIHOUE should be far too good for recent Towcester winner Rakaia Rosa, despite conceding 7lb. Paul Nicholls’ six-year-old has done much of his winning in small fields and survived a mid-race blunder to beat a couple of promising novices on his chasing bow at Kempton.
Bagad Bihoue (FR) 6-5fav (11-0) Mostly jumped well, made all, blundered 4 out, ridden after 2 out, big jump and pecked on landing last, stayed on well, won at Kempton 2m 4f (3) gd in May beating Forever Field (11-0) by 1 3/4l, 3 ran.
Barney Boy 200-1 (11-4) Started behind rest after giving trouble at start, mistake 4th, lost touch 6th, soon pulled up, at Warwick 2m 5f (4) hvy in Feb.
Rakaia Rosa (IRE) 10-1 (11-5) Made all, clear before 7th, ridden before 2 out, kept on well, won at Towcester 2m 4f hcp (4) gf in May beating Barton Rose (11-11) by 3 1/4l, 3 ran.
Mari Me Oscar (IRE) 25-1 (10-0) Behind, headway 3 out, weakened next, 9th of 12, 15 3/4l behind Ujagar (10-0) at Taunton 2m hcp (5) gd in Apr.