with leader, led after 2 out, soon ridden, stumbled after last, driven out
blundered badly and unseated rider 1st
in touch, ridden approaching 2 out, weakening when hit last
held up, headway 5th, every chance 2 out, ridden and one pace after
led, headed after 2 out, soon ridden, one pace flat
held up, pushed along 4th, lost place from 3 out
held up, saddle soon slipped, lost place from 3 out
mid-division, ridden and badly outpaced after 3 out, headway approaching last, stayed on strongly flat, nearest at finish
tracked leaders and keen, ridden after 3 out, soon weakened
always behind, tailed off when pulled up before 2 out
This looks to lie between Dark Ben, Julius Caesar and One Five Eight, with the vote going to Dark Ben. The Howard Johnson-trained Julius Caesar is beautifully bred, being a Juddmonte Farms cast-off who is by Sadler's Wells out of a Dancing Brave mare. However, he has yet to see the racetrack so have a look at the betting and then form your view about this one. One Five Eight has already won a bumper here and stepped up his hurdling form on his third run, his latest outing, when stepped up in trip at Market Rasen last time. He does not look out of the ordinary but is up to winning a small race of this nature. This brings us to the selection, Dark Ben. He was only just touched off at Hexham last time by Stage By Stage - who ran an excellent race at Cheltenham yesterday - and, given that this race is no stronger, comes firmly into the reckoning again. Of the others, from the Nicky Richards stable, Paperchaser has to be afforded respect in what is, as we say, a modest heat, although the same stable is represented by Marlborough Sound, who did not show a great deal on his debut. Once again, then, unless the betting tells a radically different story, the selection is Dark Ben.
