with leader, lost place 7, soon weakened, tailed off
led, headed approaching 3 out, ridden to chase winner after next, no extra flat
never better than mid-division
mid-division, headway 3 out, ridden approaching last, stayed on to go second flat, no chance with winner
behind until driven and kept on from 2 out, never nearer
towards rear, hit seventh, weakened 2 out
held up in rear when blundered and unseated rider 6th
towards rear, headway to join leaders 5th, ridden and weakened 2 out
chased leaders, lost place 3 out, tailed off
behind, reminders 5th, hampered next, tailed off on 3 out
behind, hit 7th, never dangerous
chased leaders, ridden and outpaced 2 out, soon beaten
mid-division, headway 7th, led approaching 3 out, drew clear between last 2, unextended
Special Promise gets a narrow call over Adalpour, with Lucky Nomad and Lord of The Land others to consider in a wide-open affair. This is not an event to get too heavily involved in but with Tony Dobbin in the plate, Special Promise should at least be involved somewhere in the finish, and hopefully will come out on top. Four times a winner on the all-weather during his spell on the Flat, the gelding also scored twice over timber for his former trainer Pat Haslam. He has not managed to add to his tally in the past three years but just lately there is cause for believing that his time is near. Although well held at Perth last time when third in claiming company, he was a long way ahead of the rest and should benefit both from the drop in grade and step up in trip here. Adalpour, another fibresand winner in the past, has yet to open his account over hurdles but shaped well enough when third at Uttoxeter, and Lucky Nomad drops in class, but has not been seen since October last year. Lord of The Land has his fair share of weight but has shown a bit more than most of the others here and is worth considering for place-purposes. However, in an uninspiring contest, we return to Special Promise as the answer.
