held up in mid-division, mistake 7th, ridden 15th, soon weakened
held up towards rear, ridden 16th, weakened 4 out
towards rear, mistake 2nd, headway 14th, went 3rd 16th, ridden and stayed on same pace from 4 out
held up in touch, ridden and lost touch 14th, tailed off
led, ridden 4 out, headed before 3 out, stayed on same pace
tracked leader, mistake 7th, ridden 12th, soon weakened, tailed off
prominent, chased leader from 3rd, challenged 13th, ridden 4 out, led approaching 3 out, driven out flat
held up in touch, mistakes 7th and 15th, lost touch before 16th
Magical Bailiwick can bring up his four-timer here at the main expense of Howdydoody and Skycab. The Martin Pipe-trained selection has risen 25lbs in the ratings as a consequence of his successes but he comes here in very good heart and will surely give a good account again with the champion jockey in the saddle. Howdydoody showed that staying was his forte when scoring over course and distance from an eight-pound lower mark than today and, lightly raced, he is entitled to be improving. He raced lazily for Ruby Walsh when gaining that Wincanton success and maybe blinkers will further help jockey Bobby McNally's cause this time around. Tremallt is well-weighted on his old form but is 13 now and has not won since December 2001. Even More has scored twice at Kempton this season but came unstuck from his revised mark at Leicester in December. Lucky Bay is still lightly-raced and, now that the handicapper is starting to relent with him, could go well. It's Only Me is finding it harder to get his head in front from his revised mark following a Cheltenham win in November, a similar comment applying to Merchants Friend following his May Uttoxeter success. Conversely, Skycab has won from a pound higher than today's mark - at Sandown in May, a win that brought a successful curtain down on Josh Gifford's training career. Overall, though, Magical Bailiwick has a good chance of extending his winning run.
