held up and behind, effort and hard ridden approaching 2 out, stayed on under pressure last, led final 200 yards, soon clear
led, not fluent 4th and next, ridden before last, no extra and headed final 200 yards
in touch, weakened quickly before 2 out, pulled up before last
keen hold, chased leader, mistake 5th, ridden 2 out, every chance and, mistake last, one paced flat
held up in mid-dividion, effort and mistake 2 out, soon weakened
held up and behind, some headway before 3 out, soon ridden and struggling, pulled up before 2 out
held up, ridden and headway 3 out, hard ridden and weakened before next, pulled up before last
blundered and lost place 1st, never going well after, mistake and behind from 4th, pulled before last
chased leaders, hit 6th and 3 out, soon weakened
in touch, mistake 3 out, headway going well approaching 3 out, weakened before last
mistake 1st, soon behind, mistake 4th, tailed off 3 out, pulled up before 2 out
behind from 6th, tailed off and pulled up before last
Emma Lavelle's progressive performer Tana River (a winner of his last two starts in novice company) heads the weights for this competitive handicap. Still open to further improvement, he has to be respected but may find the concession of weight all round too much. Len Lungo's Jupiter de Bussy has also won his last two starts, latterly in handicap company at Ayr, but has more to do in a better race today off a 7lb higher mark, as does Nonantais (another on a hat-trick) who holds Desmond Tutu on running at Taunton last time but has plenty of weight for what he has actually achieved. The Venetia Williams-trained His Nibs ran well off this mark when third to Dungarvans Choice at Newbury last time and should again be thereabouts. The lightly-raced pair, Supreme Piper and Rosslea are both worthy of a mention of their light weights, while the booking of Mick Fitzgerald for Handy Money (on the horse at Doncaster when riding the six-year-old for the first time) again takes the eye. However, the one that stands out here is Celtic Vision. Jonjo O'Neill's gelding had some decent form in bumper company last term and has taken well to hurdles this season with a win at Southwell (beat Rutledge Red) sandwiched between second placed efforts at Bangor behind Paperprophet and Haydock behind Ingenu. Given a break since the latest of those efforts, the seven-year-old comes into this fresher than most, looks well treated on a mark of 115 and, with the stable continuing in fine form, he looks worth a wager.
