chased leaders ridden 3 out, weakened approaching last
led to 4th, ridden 3 out, weakened 2 out
in touch, ridden and hung left from 3 out, weakened 2 out
winner with leader, led 4th, ridden when hit last, ran on
prominent until not fluent 6th, behind when mistake 7th, tailed off when pulled off before 2 out
in touch, ridden to go 2nd approaching 2 out, stayed on, never troubled winner
behind, ridden in headway after 7th, one pace from 3 out
mid-division, headway approaching 7th, ridden approaching 2 out, soon weakened
in touch, ridden 7th, soon weakened
mistake 2nd, hit 4th, always behind
towards rear, headway 5th, ridden after 3 out, weakened 2 out
Nonrunner
In the opener, Self Respect gets the call ahead of John Charles and Golden Gun. Placed from marks in the 80s in middle-distance/ staying contests on the Flat, Self Respect has to be of huge interest here from the Alan King stable. Bumper winner Cockspur was disappointing on his hurdling debut last time but, dropped in trip today, could well fare better. Countrywide Luck is a solid middle-distance 70s-rated Flat performer and has to be of interest on his hurdling debut. Earl Of Spectrum hasn't exactly set the world alight over hurdles but the 50,000 euros purchase Golden Gun (trained by Jonjo O'Neill, who also saddles Cockspur) is another interesting debutant. Wolverhampton winner John Charles showed enough overall on the Flat to be worthy of consideration here, while Last Pioneer is likely to prove better over hurdles than on the Flat. Safin is a bit hard to assess and the betting might tell us more, while Thenford Flyer could go well, having shown bumper promise. Finally, even though she has been disappointing on the Flat, Mary Gray began last season by attracting money in races, and, as a 12-furlong 54-rated winner on the Flat, Pleasant gets a fair mention. Overall, though, the vote stays with Self Respect.
