chased leader to16th, ridden next, hit 4 out, 15 lengths down at 3rd and weakening when fell 2 out
behind when fell 4th
mistakes, held up in touch, behind from 6th, tailed off when pulled up before 16th
held up in touch, lost place 10th, 25 lengths in 3rd when fell last, remounted
held up in touch, weakened after 15th, tailed off
behind, some headway 15th, soon weakened, tailed off when pulled up before 18th
held up, headway 15th, led 16th, ridden approaching last, soon under pressure, driven out
prominent until weakened after 15th
held up, raced wide, lost place 5th, not fluent 8th, soon behind, tailed off, pulled up before 17th
mid-division, headway 9th, hit 4 out, ridden and every chance last, no extra towards finish
led, hit and headed 16th, ridden and weakened 3 out, left poor 3rd and hampered 2 out
Southern Star is long overdue a big race victory and he can land this marathon ahead of Behrajan, Take Control and Akarus. The selection is a model of consistency with his only poor run in his last eight races coming in the 2003 Grand National. With the in-form Graham Lee riding and conditions looking ideal he has a massive chance of winning his first race for nearly three years. Behrajan ran a cracking race in defeat at Ascot on his latest start and with his stable flying he looks set to run another big race. Take Control is normally a sound jumper and if he can be forgiven an uncharacteristically poor run last time out behind Bindaree he could go close. Martin Pipe's Akarus is respected with Tony McCoy having to waste to make the light weight but his likely short starting price does not correspond with what he has achieved on the racetrack. Of the rest Ad Hoc, Ardent Scout and Montifault will give punters a run for their money but they will all have to improve to beat the selection Southern Star.
