in touch, ridden approaching 5th, soon weakened
chased leader to 4th, weakened when hampered 5th, left poor 3rd last
keen hold, led, ridden 3 out, just headed when fell 2 out
soon behind, tailed off when refused 4th
always behind
mid-division, weakened after 3rd, tailed off
chased leaders, ridden to lead 2 out, left clear last, ran on
mid-division, ridden and some headway 3 out, left poor 2nd last
mid-division, headway approaching 4th, ridden and every chance when fell last
Whether this has much bearing on the Triumph Hurdle is debatable, with only Lewis Island quoted among the 13 protagonists, and his price is a general 33-1. However, there are one or two that may yet make their mark, including Prince Dimitri. Martin Pipe's charge, who was no great shakes on the Flat, scored at the first time of asking over the course and distance in the Crosbee & Atkins Juvenile Novices' Hurdle just before Christmas. He runs in the same colours as Don Fernando, the current Triumph favourite, and may yet add another string to the Lucayan Stud's bow at Cheltenham. The ex-German Muskatsturm comes from a very shrewd stable, and had fair form abroad, while Saratov also hails from that quarter but is a bit more of an unknown quantity. Mughas proved costly to follow in Ireland, being a beaten favourite on no less than four occasions, but is sure to have been well schooled, and is impeccably bred. Cheyenne Chief has a penalty to overcome, but does at least have more experience than the rest and will be there or thereabouts, but for the selection we return to Lewis Island. A winner on the level at Kempton, he stepped up on a debut fifth to Don Fernando by landing the odds at Leicester, and was not disgraced when finishing second to Nas Na Riogh in the Grade 1 Western Daily Press Finale Juvenile Hurdle at Chepstow. He did go off too fast in the testing ground that day and with more restrained tactics here, should make his class tell unless one of those newcomers is anything special.
