chased leaders, ridden and weakened approaching 3 out
chased clear leader, ridden and weakened after 4 out
held up, ridden and headway approaching 3 out, weakened after 2 out
held up, headway approaching 3 out, ridden to challenge 2 out, led last, driven clear flat
held up, lost place approaching 5th
held up, weakened after 4 out, tailed off when pulled up before next
held up behind, ridden and weakening when hit 4 out, tailed off when pulled up before next
led, soon clear until weakened and headed 3 out
held up, chased clear leader 5th, led 3 out, soon ridden, headed last, one pace
lost place and reminders after 3rd, tailed off when pulled before 4 out
held up mid-division, headway approaching 3 out, ridden and one pace from 2 out
held up, headway approaching 5th, ridden 3 out, weakened last
Nonrunner
For this Grade One novices' hurdle, we shortlist Strangely Brown, Phar Bleu, Motive, L'Oudon, Cerium, Dabiroun and our selection, which is Faasel. First of all, then, Strangely Brown, who ran up a sequence in Ireland earlier in the year, can be expected to put in a better show than at Cheltenham, where he was sixth in the Triumph, although give in the going is important to him. Miss Academy has not yet built on her promising debut in this country, but Phar Bleu has proven himself tough and talented by winning a Grade One affair at Chepstow and then finishing a very good fifth, on going that was probably too lively for him, in the Triumph Hurdle, a race that, quite obviously, holds the form key to this race. He is respected. Among the lightly-raced potential improvers is Motive, who represents the Johnson/Wylie/Lee combo that did so well at Cheltenham, while L'Oudon left a poor debut performance in this country behind him when scooting up at Newbury last time and, to be fair to him, he was struck into at Sandown, but Ruby Walsh has elected to ride his stablemate, the Triumph Hurdle third, Cerium, which is a tip in itself, although he is another one that would probably not like the going to be too lively. Just ahead of Cerium at Cheltenham was Faasel, who looked a little unlucky not to score when just getting the worse of a very good tussle with the winner, Penzance. As long as the visor he wore on that occasion works again, he is clearly the one to beat. Dabiroun scored impressively at Cheltenham last time, although he has six lengths to find with Strangely Brown on earlier Irish form. The going will, once again, probably prove a determining factor today. Finally, with Courant d'Air and Admiral having something to find on Triumph form, we return to the selection, which is Faasel.
Cerium (FR) 8-1 Close up, led 2 out, soon headed, every chance last, weakened flat, 4th of 23, 9l behind Penzance at Cheltenham 2m 1f 4yo hdl Grd 1 (A) gd in Mar.
Courant d'Air (IRE) 200-1 Toward rear, hampered bend after 2nd, never dangerous after, 17th of 23, well behind Penzance at Cheltenham 2m 1f 4yo hdl Grd 1 (A) gd in Mar.
Dabiroun (IRE) 20-1 Held up in mid-division, headway approaching 3 out, disputing 2nd when not fluent 2 out, led on bit last, soon clear, easily, won at Cheltenham 2m 3yo hcp hdl (A) gd in Mar beating At Your Request by 8l, 24 ran.
Faasel (IRE) 7-1 Held up in rear, steady headway approaching 4th, chased leaders 3 out, chased winner and upsides last, strong challenge flat, just held near finish, 2nd of 23, hd behind Penzance at Cheltenham 2m 1f 4yo hdl Grd 1 (A) gd in Mar.
Karelian 1-6fav Held up, headway 5th, led 4 out, quickened to draw clear from 3 out, eased towards finish, won at Ayr 2m 4yo nov hdl (E) gd in Mar beating Named At Dinner by 12l, 6 ran.
L'oudon (FR) 9-2 Held up in rear, smooth headway from 4 out, chased leaders next, led 2 out, clear last, stayed on strongly, won at Newbury 2m 4yo nov hdl (E) gd in Mar beating Daryal by 4l, 14 ran.
Motive (FR) 7-4 Held up, headway to track leader approaching 2 out, led and jumped left last, kept on under pressure flat, won at Catterick 2m nov hdl (E) gd in Mar beating Beamish Prince by 1 1/2l, 13 ran.
Noble Request (FR) 14-1 Held up, headway 3 out, soon ridden, no further impression, 3rd of 9, 20l behind New Rock at Warwick 2m 4yo nov hdl (C) sft in Feb.
Phar Bleu (FR) 66-1 Behind, hard ridden and stayed on from 2 out, kept on flat but never going pace to reach leaders, 5th of 23, 10l behind Penzance at Cheltenham 2m 1f 4yo hdl Grd 1 (A) gd in Mar.
Protective 9-4fav Tracked leaders, ridden approaching 3 out, soon weakened, 7th of 12, well behind Andre Chenier at Kelso 2m 4yo nov hdl (E) sft in Mar.
Strangely Brown (IRE) 11-1 Mid-division, stayed on from 2 out, never dangerous, 6th of 23, 11l behind Penzance at Cheltenham 2m 1f 4yo hdl Grd 1 (A) gd in Mar.
Miss Academy (FR) 16-1 Held up, headway approaching 3 out, disputed third last, kept on flat, 4th of 24, 11l behind Dabiroun at Cheltenham 2m 3yo hcp hdl (A) gd in Mar.
Admiral (IRE) 11-8 Raced keenly in touch, headway to challenge 3 out, led approaching next, ridden and stayed on well flat, won at Market Rasen 2m 1f 4yo nov hdl (D) gd beating Iron Man by 3l, 15 ran.
