held up towards rear, ridden 14th, beaten 4 out
prominent, jumped slowly 4th, ridden approaching 4 out, not quicken
chased leader, led 17th, ridden headed 3 out, no extra from last
tracked leaders, ridden approaching 3 out, weakened 2 out
held up in touch, hampered 4th, blundered 8th, mistake 15th, ridden 17th, headway after 4 out, stayed on one pace from 2 out
always behind, ridden 14th, never on terms
led to 17th, chased leader, pushed along to lead 3 out, ridden approaching 2 out, stayed on from last
Woodlands Beau, Jabiru, Border Light and Cherokee Run are the main contenders here, with Woodlands Beau taken to come out on top under Nick Mitchell. Sally Alner is really making a name for herself thanks to the exploits of Kingscliff but is no one horse trainer, and Woodlands Beau, a course and distance winner when handled by Sally's husband Robert, will find this less daunting than the stamina sapping four miles and a furlong of Cheltenham where he did well to get round after tiring a long way out. He was given a fine ride by today's pilot to finish second to the useful Lord Atterbury and that form entitles him to be the one to beat here. Jabiru was ninth behind Earthmover in the Foxhunters and was fourth behind the same horse, also at Cheltenham last time. In between he managed to record back-to back- wins at Taunton and may once again appreciate going right-handed. He makes more appeal than Border Light and Cherokee Run, although the latter is open to improvement.
