held up in touch, challenged on bit 4 out, led 2 out, kept on well
held up in touch and keen, fell 5th
held up in touch and keen, weakened approaching 4 out
held up, weakened 4 out
led, ridden approaching 4 out, jumped right next, headed 2 out, one pace from last
held up, blundered and unseated rider 1st
chased leader, ridden approaching 4 out, weakened from 2 out
A decent contest for it's type and one which should chiefly concern Albuhera, Rebel Rhythm, Beamish Prince and Rhapsody Rose, and we take Rebel Rhythm to come out on top. There is little to choose between the pair on their best hurdles form, though Albuhera has more decent form to his name than his opponent. The two major factors influencing the selection here though are the going and the lack of a recent run. Rebel Rhythm has both these in his favour, as he goes well fresh and has won on bottomless ground. Albuhera may well need the race and has never raced on ground softer than dead, so he will face a tough challenge from the local runner here. Beamish Prince has a fair bit to find on hurdles form, and would also prefer drier ground, while Rhapsody Rose looks like a filly with potential and it will be very interesting to see how she goes for a trainer who does well here, given that she was good enough to beat Salut Saint Cloud over hurdles. It should be an informative contest, and we take Rebel Rhythm to be good enough.
Albuhera (IRE) 11-2 (11-2) Held up in rear, smooth headway to track leaders from 2 out, joined winner last, one pace and held flat, 2nd of 11, 1/2l behind Distant Prospect (10-4) at Newbury 2m hcp hdl (A) gd in Nov.
Beamish Prince 13-2 (11-1) Held up in touch and keen, ridden and lost place approaching 2 out, 6th of 12, 18l behind Queen Soraya (10-13) at Market Rasen 2m 3f nov hdl (D) gd in Apr.
Dabus 66-1 (11-0) Reluctant to race and unseated rider start, remounted and continued, tailed off when pulled up 4 out in race won by Un Autre Espere (9-7) at Fakenham 2m hcp hdl 0-105 (E) gd, 13 ran.
Konker 33-1 (11-4) Chased leaders, behind from 9th, tailed off when blundered 3 out, 5th of 8, well behind Manoram (11-10) at Cheltenham 2m nov chs (C) gd in Oct '04.
Northern Minster 6-1 (11-6) Tracked leader until fell at the 3rd in race won by South Bronx (11-6) at Kelso 2m 1f beg chs (D) gs, 10 ran.
Rebel Rhythm 12-1 (11-4) Held up, headway approaching 8th, in touch when fell 4 out in race won by Asian Maze (10-11) at Aintree 3m nov hdl Grd 1 (A) gd in Apr, 17 ran.
Government (IRE) 100-1 (10-0) Always behind, tailed off from 4th, 9th of 11, well behind Cristoforo (11-0) at Wetherby 2m hcp hdl 0-110 (E) gf in May.
Rhapsody Rose 14-1 (10-10) Led, headed 4th, 4th 4 out, weakened before next, 15th of 19, 49l behind Blazing Liss (11-7) at Punchestown 2m 2f lst hdl sft in Apr.
