Given his ability to handle the ground Bathwick Quest looks keeping on the right side of here and gets the vote ahead of Rocky River and Crow Spinney. The selection won a soft ground Newton Abbot bumper last time and was value for more than the official margin. It won¿t be easy for these novices¿ to the sport when the ground is bottomless and so we should take every advantage we can and he will do for us. Rocky River was runner up on good to soft at Uttoxeter and comes from a yard well respected in this discipline, so with the benefit of that run he could improve and take a close hand. Crow Spinney is a mare by Classic Clich¿nd should also therefore be able to handle it on the soft side. She won a point in June and is a relatively rare Mick Easterby runner at the track, though he has not had a bumper winner here for over five years. Keep an eye on the market regarding debutante Kielder Rise, but we¿ll put up Bathwick Quest in this bottomless ground.
Bathwick Quest (IRE) 33-1 (9-13) Mid-division, smooth headway 5f out, led on bit over 2f out, pushed out, won at N Abbot 2m 1f nhf (6) sft in Aug beating Aussie Deal (10-7) by 3l, 16 ran.
Rocky River (IRE) 7-1 (10-8) Mid-division, headway on inside when not much room and hampered 7f out, ridden to chase winner over 1f out, stayed on, no impression, 2nd of 16, 3 1/2l behind Blencathra Bay (11-4) at Uttoxeter 2m nhf (6) gs in Dec.
Crow Spinney 5-4 (11-0) Held up; hdwy 14; led last; rdly, won at Trecoed 3m ptp frm in Jun beating Bangkok Bob (12-0) by 4l, 8 ran.
Grange Girl 50-1 (10-9) In touch 5f, behind final 10f, tailed off, 10th of 11, well behind Diablo (11-9) at Uttoxeter 2m nhf (6) gd in May.
Kielder Rise Classic Cliche filly out of winning miler Countessmarkievicz.
