keen early, tracked leaders, driven 3 out, soon every chance, weakened before last
led, headed 7th, slow 4 out, weakened before next, stayed on to take remote 3rd close home
held up in rear, mistake 6th, soon beaten, slight mistake when unseated rider last
tracked leader, mistake 6th, led next, ridden approaching last, stayed on well
tracked leaders, blundered 5th, chased winner 3 out, weakening when mistake 2 out, lost 3rd towards finish
Decent hurdler I Have Dreamed was impressive at Huntingdon but he may not have beaten a lot and so it may pay to side with YOU'RE THE TOP. Nicky Henderson's gelding was very progressive over hurdles, winning three times after falling at Cheltenham in January. He is quickly sent over fences, has the benefit of a recent run under his belt, and is fancied to be hard to beat. Epidavros is an intriguing contender; he has been off the track for a while but he beat Giorgio Quercus at Auteuil last year and that gives his form a solid look. Kanad ran well behind Somersby at Warwick and should have come on for the run; he's an interesting contender as he has shown some very good form at this time of year before. Gary Moore is strongly represented with Cockatoo and I Have Dreamed; the former makes his chasing debut today and has the scope to improve for fences, whilst the latter is penalised for his win last time out and that often finds the novices out. Also carrying a penalty is Henry Daly's Beherayn; he was well-held at Worcester last time out and needs to step up on that form. An interesting clash but the classiest horse in the line-up could be You're The Top.
Beherayn 15-2 (11-1) Held up in rear, pulled hard, not fluent 1st, headway 7th, blundered 4 out, soon beaten, mistake last, 6th of 13, 17l behind Fit To Drive (10-10) at Worcester 2m hcp chs 0-135 (3) gd in Sep.
I Have Dreamed (IRE) 7-4 (11-0) Held up in 3rd, went 2nd before 2 out, left in lead soon after 2 out, driven clear flat, won at Huntingdon 2m beg chase (4) gf in Apr beating Just Amazing (11-0) by 8l, 3 ran.
Cockatoo (USA) 16-1 (10-9) Tracked leaders, hit 6th, ridden approaching 3 out, soon weakened, pulled up before 2 out, in a race won by Sangfroid (10-3) at Sandown 2m 3f hcp hdl 0-140 (2) gd in Apr, 15 ran.
Procas de Thaix (FR) 50-1 (11-1) Behind, struggling 7th, tailed off when pulled up before last, in a race won by Raslan (10-8) at Newton Abbot 2m 6f hcp hdl 0-140 (2) gf in Aug, 17 ran.
You're The Top (FR) 6-4fav (11-8) Held up in close touch, smooth headway after 3 out, challenged 2 out, pushed in to lead before last, driven out, won at Ascot 2m nh nov hdl (3) gd in Oct beating William Hogarth (10-12) by 2 1/4l, 6 ran.
Epidavros (FR) (10-1) in a race won by Viotti (10-1) at Auteuil(FR) 2m 2f hdl sft in Jun '08, 10 ran.
Kanad 7-1 (11-1) Disputed 2nd, headway 4 out, challenged approaching 2 out, outpaced between last 2, jumped right last, no chance with winner, 2nd of 5, 14l behind Somersby (11-1) at Warwick 2m nov chs (3) gd.
