held up, hampered 5th, headway appoaching 3 out, ridden and weakened before next
held up, headway 9th, ridden after 2 out, weakened last
with leaders, fell 1st
chased leaders, blundered and unseated rider 4th
chased leaders, ridden and every chance approaching last, one pace last
keen, in touch, headway to lead after 5th, hit 9th, driven out
prominent, lead 4th, headed and fell next
led to 4th, led again next, soon headed, weakened after 9th
With only the fully exposed Hisar of these having raced recently the fitness of the remainder of the participants has to be taken on trust and, what can only be a tentative vote, goes to Kelantan, who gets the verdict over Runner Bean. The last mentioned gained a deserved success when scoring at Huntingdon in May but disappointed at Market Rasen subsequently and would not want any further softening of the ground. Magical Bailiwick has been off the track since pulled up in a novices' handicap chase at Newton Abbot over a year ago but has since left the stable of Rodney Baker to join Martin Pipe. It would not be the biggest surprise in the world to see the seven-year-old improve on previous form, especially as he returns on a favourable mark but preference is for the top weight Kelantan. Kim Bailey's gelding sprung a surprise when beating an out of sorts Cornish Gale at Wetherby in May and, while undoubtedly flattered by that, it is interesting - after just two starts over hurdles - that connections have decided to go chasing with the son of Kris. The handicapper has guessed in giving the six-year-old a mark of 100 for his debut in handicap-company and he may have made an error in that.
