took keen hold, tracked leader, mistake 3rd, not fluent 6th or 7th, led 4 out, headed after 3 out, weakened 2 out, mistake last
held up, headway after 5th, not much room next, switched right before out, led after next, clear before 2 out, ridden out
led until 4 out, weakened before 2 out, went 3rd last
tracked leaders on outside, mistake and lost place 7th, weakened after 3 out
held up, not fluent 2nd, detached 5th, went 4th 7th, closed after 3 out, chased winner before next, no impression, kept on
Sister Sibyl won easily at Cheltenham last week for which she’s penalised but this is more competitive. Space Oddity has looked high enough in the weights since winning at Uttoxeter last year while both Ozzie The Oscar and Tree Of Liberty failed to land the odds in novice company on their respective latest starts, though the latter won a novices’ handicap at Leicester before that. TOMMY SILVER ran below par in a Grade 3 contest at Ascot a fortnight ago but will appreciate today’s faster ground and has the beating of Ozzie The Oscar on collateral form. Paul Nicholls’ charge gets a tentative vote in a tight contest.
Tree Of Liberty (IRE) 1-20fav (11-8) Never fluent and tended to jump left, raced freely in lead, mistake 2nd, fiddled 5th (water), went left 4 out, went left and joined next, hung left headed and no extra run-in, 2nd of 3, 2 1/2l behind Cap'n (10-12) at Ludlow 2m (3) gs in Mar.
Ozzie The Oscar (IRE) 1-2fav (11-3) Tracked leader, pushed along in 3rd after 3 out, headway to lead next, driven between last 2, hard pressed last, ridden and headed narrowly flat, held towards finish, 2nd of 3, 1 1/4l behind Work In Progress (11-8) at Hereford 2m (3) sft in Dec.
Tommy Silver (FR) 8-1 (11-3) Chased leaders on outside, lost place 5th, struggling 7th, well beaten after next, pulled up before 3 out, at Aintree 2m hcp (1) sft in Apr.
Space Oddity (FR) 7-2jfav (11-12) Tracked leader to 4 out, pecked and weakened from 2 out, 5th of 7, 13 1/2l behind Rock On Rocky (11-4) at Ludlow 2m hcp (3) gs in Apr.
Sister Sibyl (IRE) 7-4fav (10-1) Tracked leaders, headway to lead 2 out, clear next, eased flat, comfortable, won at Cheltenham 2m hcp (2) gd in Apr beating Barton Rose (10-0) by 15l, 4 ran.
