in touch, chased leader soon after 3 out, challenged on bit 2 out, soon ridden and found no extra
set steady pace, ridden and pressed from 2 out, narrowly headed last, pressed winner flat until held final 100 yards
took keen hold in touch, challenged from 2 out, slight lead and hit last, driven and stayed on well flat
tracked leader soon after 3 out, ridden, outpaced and hit 2 out, rallied approaching last, kept on flat
always in rear, tailed off 3 out
in touch, mistake and lost touch 3rd, jumped slowly 5th, tailed off and pulled up before 2 out
mistake 1st, soon outpaced in rear, stayed on from 3 out, never going pace to trouble leaders
chased leaders to 6th, weakened quickly 3 out, tailed off
towards rear, blundered 3rd, tailed off when pulled up before 2 out
tracked leaders, mistake 4th, ridden to challenge 2 out, soon weakened
in mid-division until weakened after 3 out
held up in mid-division, pushed along from 5th, staying on same pace under pressure and hung right from 2 out, kept on flat
held up in rear, headway into mid-division and mistake 6th, weakened before 2 out
Not an easy race to solve but Time To Shine might just continue improving and, as such, he is favoured over Lustral du Seuil, Pipsallio and Distant Thunder. Running through the field. Fantastic Arts won on the Flat in France but has yet to cover himself in glory over hurdles on the side of the English Channel just yet while Smithlyn has displayed talent in bumpers but is now making his hurdling debut. Pipsallio came from out of the clouds to finish third last time to record a promising course and distance debut third, so he too is entitled to go well. Overall, though, this race looks a little more competitive than that on. Lustral du Seuil found only the promising Sindapour too good for him at Fontwell last time and looks to be going in the right direction. He looks the stronger of the two Nicky Henderson runners and, on jockey bookings, Distant Thunder is favoured over Perfect Liaison from the Robert Alner stable. They both won races, though, although the although the former has disappointed since looking good when winning at Chepstow earlier in the season. Time To Shine has won three times this season, that sequence, remarkably, starting in a seller. There was no doubting the virtue of his Ascot win from Feel The Pride last time, though, and a repeat of that effort puts him well in the picture here. With Charlie Mann's Dad's Elect, a dual winner over hurdles in Italy, being a little hard to assess, this race does present a few problems and it is not with any great conviction we side with Time To Shine.
