led, ridden 3 out, joined next, headed approaching last, kept on under pressure to chase winner flat
tracked leader, ridden after 11th, joined leader 2 out, led approaching last, stayed on under pressure flat, all out
chased leading pair, pushed along approaching 4 out, soon outpaced, no impression when fell last, remounted to take 3rd
held up in touch, hit 4th, jumped right from next, reminders and lost touch 6th, behind when pulled up
There should be little between Quazar and Chauvinist, with preference for the latter, while a watching brief is suggested on the other two. In what looks a two-horse race on paper, Nicky Henderson's Chauvinist is taken to beat his younger rival, with the extra half-mile here likely to prove advantageous. Despite making a blunder four out, the nine-year-old rallied well to beat Town Crier at Aintree a fortnight ago, and will come on a lot for that first outing in 11 months. Third to Back In Front and Kicking King in the 2003 Supreme Novices' Hurdle, he is out to make up for lost time over fences and go well here. On a strict form line through Back In Front, Quazar, who beat him over hurdles at Punchestown, has a great chance, but he is only a little horse and has been off since September, so is worth taking on. Milligan is only there to capitalise if either of the big two have a mishap, and so we shall stick with Chauvinist as the answer.
