made all driven out
mid-division, ridden and lost place after 7th, behind when mistake 9th and 11th, tailed off and pulled up before 3 out
behind from 6th, tailed off and pulled up before 10th
behind, headway 9th, ridden 10th, weakened next
held up and keen, headway 7th, ridden to chase winner 3 out, not fluent last, edged left and one pace flat
tracked leaders, ridden 3 out, weakened approaching last
in touch, ridden 8th, weakened next
prominent, blundered 2nd, ridden 8th, weakened 11th, tailed off and pulled up before last
mid-division, ridden and lost place 8th, tailed off and pulled up before 10th
keen, in touch, ridden 10th, weakened next
The Extra Man is given the vote in the opener with Liberthine and Don Valentino put forward as the main dangers. The selection has been in good form of late and is one of the few in the field who is proven at the trip and on this ground. He won a similar contest to this on his penultimate start when defeating Sossus Vlei, and a reproduction of that effort should suffice here. Liberthine rates the main danger as she is dropped in grade after getting well beaten at Aintree last time. She had previously caught the eye when winning well at Stratford, and as there could still be more to come from this 5-year-old she has to respected as a live danger. Don Valentino ran well on his chase debut at Kelso behind Bernadon last time and is another that could go well, especially as he is from a yard in good form. Glen Warrior is the other that would have claims if he could translate his form over hurdles to the bigger obstacles, but we are happy to stick with The Extra Man as the selection.
