led, hit 4th, ridden 2 out, headed last, stayed on
in touch, headway 5th, left clear second 13th, ridden 2 out, led last, driven out
tracked leaders, lost place 5th, never dangerous after, took poor 3rd approaching last
jumped left throughout, in touch, lost place 9th, soon behind
held up, headway 7th, went 2nd 11th, fell 13th
held up in rear, headway 10th, ridden 3 out, weakened when jumped badly left 2 out
tracked leader, lost place 7th, hit next, ridden 10th, soon weakened, behind when blundered 13th
There would be no more popular winner of the Macer Gifford than the Josh Gifford-trained Skycab. Well treated on the best of his form, the 10-year-old normally needs one or two outings to put him right and is probably best left alone. Robert Alner's Peccadillo won well at the meeting here in September despite galloping loose beforehand and off just a 5lb higher mark has obvious claims. However, the eight-year-old failed to reproduce his form in the Desert Orchid at Wincanton subsequently and we would rather look elsewhere. Paul Webber's Hit Royal has done nothing wrong in winning his two starts this term but faces a stiffer task here. With Henrietta Knight's stable in such good form at present Red Blazer has to be respected on his reappearance but the TEAMtalk selection has to be for Il'Athou. Simon Sherwood's six-year-old was travelling better than anything else when falling four out in Goguenard's race at Wetherby and, if none the worse for that, he looks worth an investment racing off the same mark.
