mid-division, headway approaching 7th, soon ridden, weakened 3 out, tailed off
towards rear, not fluent, reminders after 3rd, headway 6th, weakened approaching 2 out
prominent, went 2nd 7th, every chance 3 out, weakened approaching 2 out
held up in touch, raced keenly, mistake 3 out, soon weakened, behind when pulled up before 2 out
prominent, led approaching 6th, jumped right 3 out, headed 2 out, weakened last
held up, headway after 2nd, not much room after 6th, challenged after 3 out, led and jumped left 2 out, clear last, ran on
led, hung right and reminders after 5th, soon headed, weakened 3 out, eased, behind when pulled up before 2 out
held up in rear, mistake 6th, never dangerous
held up in rear, raced keenly, always behind, pulled up before 2 out
in touch, lost place after 5th, hung left and weakened before next, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out
mid-division, ridden and weakened 3 out
held up towards rear, raced keenly, headway approaching 3 out, weakened before 2 out
held up towards rear, not fluent 4th, headway 7th, switched right approaching 2 out, stayed on same pace, not fluent last
prominent, reminders after 5th, weakened approaching next, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out
LA ESTRELLA can land this selling hurdle at the main expense of Insignia and Decree Nisi. Don Cantillon's five-year-old returns to hurdling after a spell over the bigger obstacles and he makes plenty of appeal. He won a maiden hurdle in good style back in January at Fakenham and he shapes as though he could make a better hurdler than a chaser. Insignia is eased in grade and although Alison Thorpe's 6-year-old has a bit to prove at present, he has an obvious chance in a race as moderate as this. Decree Nisi went close in this grade at Exeter last time and a reproduction of that effort should see him competitive. Devito and Pips Assertive Way are others to consider, but in an open event we will side with La Estrella as the pick.
Decree Nisi 25-1 (11-12) Mid-division, headway 7th, ridden approaching 3 out, went 2nd 2 out, kept on, always held, 2nd of 14, 3l behind Nearly A Breeze (9-13) at Exeter 2m 3f cnd hcp hdl 0-95 (5) gs.
La Estrella (USA) 7-1 (11-5) Held up in rear, hit 11th, weakened next, tailed off, 4th of 6, well behind Hoopy (11-5) at Wetherby 3m 1f beg chs (5) frm.
Baarrij 11-1 (10-6) In touch, every chance 3 out, one pace from 2 out, 6th of 18, 6l behind Black Cloud (10-11) at Towcester 2m hcp hdl 0-100 (4) gd.
Dansilver 12-1 (10-12) Towards rear, effort 3 out, stayed on, never troubled leaders, 4th of 16, well behind Anglicisme (10-5) at Towcester 2m 3f sll hdl (5) gd.
Devito (FR) 13-2 (11-9) Chased leaders, mistake 7th, soon ridden, one pace from next, 3rd of 14, 11l behind Nearly A Breeze (9-13) at Exeter 2m 3f cnd hcp hdl 0-95 (5) gs.
Insignia (IRE) 12-1 (10-0) In touch, ridden 6th, soon behind, 13th of 15, 48l behind Ursis (11-5) at Market Rasen 2m 6f hcp hdl 0-135 (3) gd in Sept.
Pips Assertive Way 11-2 (10-12) Led to 2nd, chased leader, reminder after 4th, led again 6th, ridden approaching 2 out, headed before last, stayed on same paced last, 2nd of 12, 3l behind Star Tenor (10-5) at Stratford 2m sll hdl (4) gf.
Raffish 5-4fav (11-1) Tracked leader, ridden and led approaching 2 out, kept on, won at Perth 2m mdn hdl (5) gs in Aug '07 beating Sinatas (11-0) by 2l, 8 ran.
Raydan (IRE) 66-1 (10-6) Always behind, tailed off when slightly hampered 3 out and pulled up 2 out in race won by King's Majesty (11-1) at Plumpton 2m nov hcp hdl 0-100 (4) gf, 14 ran.
Royal Flyer (IRE) 100-1 (10-12) Mid-division, struggling after 4th, 11th of 13, 46l behind Oceana Gold (10-12) at Huntingdon 2m nov hdl (4) gs.
Viscount Rossini 25-1 (11-7) Held up in rear when fell at the 3rd in race won by Psychiatrist (11-7) at Warwick 2m cnd hcp hdl 0-100 (4) gf in Mar, 16 ran.
Bundle Up 33-1 (10-5) Held up, blundered and hampered 1st, lost place 3rd, badly hampered 4th, soon tailed off, 9th of 18, 38l behind Art Modern (10-12) at Ludlow 2m sll hdl (4) gf.
Novarra (IRE) 20-1 (10-2) Chased leaders early, ridden from 5 out, weakened from 3 out, 13th of 15, 43l behind Book of Days (10-2) at Tramore 2m mrs hcp hdl sft in Sept.
Sad Times (IRE) 80-1 (10-6) In rear, blundered 2nd, not fluent 5th, tailed off next and pulled up 5 out in race won by Malakiya (11-8) at Ludlow 2m 5f sll hdl (4) gd, 16 ran.
