led, headed 3 out, soon ridden, kept on one pace
close up, led 3 out, driven out
held up in rear, headway to track leaders 7th, challenged 4 out, chased winner briefly approaching 2 out, 3rd and held when blundered last
held up in rear, headway 7th to chase leaders, weakened 5 out
soon behind, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out
in touch, outpaced 4 out, rallied 2 out, kept on one pace run in
chased leaders, reminder halfway, lost place 6th, weakened approaching 4 out, tailed off when pulled up before 2 out
The shortlist for us consists of Joint Authority, Didifon and Test Of Loyalty, with our vote going to Joint Authority. The selection won a maiden chase here 14 days ago, for which the handicapper has allotted him a rating of 96. That equates to around the best that he achieved over hurdles and, with the drop in trip today not likely to count against this free-going sort, he has to be on the shortlist. Didifon might have been lucky to win on his chasing debut over course and distance in March, but he would still have earned good comments had he finished second. Beaten since then, he's back to a more-realistic mark of 96 now but lacks a recent run. Bob's Buster has been raised nine pounds for a Hexham success, which rates as ok but this, overall, is more tricky. Old King Coal hasn't shown too much in just four runs but Test Of Loyalty has a chance based on his Southwell win in September 2002 from a mark of 78, given that he is now rated 81 and has a decent three-pound claimer booked. It's nearly four years since Wynbury Flyer scored, and he too lacks a recent outing, while River Rising has one solid run to his name hidden away in a largely modest nine-race career. Overall, then, the road leads back to the selection,
