chased leader until after 3rd, weakened 7th
led, ridden and headed 3 out, soon outpaced, rallied last, ran on
held up, headway approaching 7th, weakened approaching 3 out
prominent to 8th, soon weakened
in touch, headway 5th, led 3 out, all out
always behind, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out
towards rear, headway approaching 9th, ridden after next, soon weakened
jumped slowly, soon tailed off, pulled up after 8th
reluctant to race, tailed off when jumped slowly first, soon pulled up
chased leaders, ridden after 4 out, weakened after next
Fier Goumier appears to have a great chance of reversing form with Calon Lan and we take him to score here, with Klondike Charger and Palouse others to consider. Fier Goumier was beaten eight lengths in trying to concede 16lb to Calon Lan at Worcester in June, but has an 8lb pull here, and that can be enough to do the trick. In good enough form from two runs since then, together with a 2lb drop to help things along, Jonjo O'Neill's charge looks to have been given the chance to win for the first time on three years. Veteran Calon Lan should again go well, while Klondike Charger has also been going well over trips from around this to three miles, over which he won last time. He will find this much tougher from the top of the handicap though. Palouse has looked one paced at the end of two longer races recently, and it remains to be seen if this sharper trip will suit, but Bob Buckler's charge is at least in some sort of form and can be thereabouts. For the winner though, Fier Goumier looks like adding another notch on the Jackdaws Castle tally.
