with leader, led 4th, headed and reluctant to race bend after 6th, ridden approaching 3 out, soon weakened
led to 4th, with leader, led again after 6th, ridden and headed approaching 2 out, weakened flat
held up in touch, headway after 9th, led and hung left approaching 2 out, stumbled last, driven out
chased leaders, every chance 3 out, soon ridden and hung left, kept on to take 2nd flat, no chance with winner
held up, effort 3 out, soon weakened
This is a good race, despite the fact that there are only five runners, and the key to success might be held by The Villager, who gets the call over Le Passing, Wain Mountain and Upgrade. Upgrade has held the key to the fact that so many horses have defected, as with him in the line-up they would have to have raced from out of the weights. He is still capable of running well from his current mark, though, although the steadier of 11 stone 12 pounds will not make things easy. This turns us to The Villager. He looked a chaser of some promise up until his last two runs, where he took a crashing fall at Haydock and then dropped away when things got serious at the same track last time. However, he is probably more likely to be suited by this track and the steadier pace they will go on the going and, as such, is the choice, admittedly a slightly speculative one. Wain Mountain likes it here and will appreciate the return to this shorter trip than the one he encountered at Warwick last time, while Le Passing is likely to be sent off as favourite in this contest following his easy win in a beginners' chase at Chepstow last time. Grant him all due respect, although his stable has been a little flat of late, but did look to hold good chances in the first two races on this card. Check out those results but, for now, we will side with The Villager.
