held up in touch, ridden briefly approaching 3 out, smooth headway to lead approaching 3 out, left clear 2 out, eased run in
tracked leader, reminder after 7th and soon lost place, ridden after next, rallied and every chance 3 out until weakened approaching next
behind, blundered badly and unseated rider 2nd
led, headed after 3 out and still going well when blundered badly and fell next
Howard Johnson's Chivalry has an obvious chance on his chasing debut and is taken to score at the main expense of Vandas Choice and Gone Too Far. The last mentioned has the benefit of experience over his main rivals but is becoming exposed and faces no easy task giving weight away to the selection. Lucinda Russell's Vandas Choice fulfilled the promise of his chase debut at Perth when landing a novices' event at Carlisle last month and has to be respected but in receipt of 6lbs Chivalry has to be the choice. Howard Johnson has his string in good form at present and the son of Mark Of Esteeem, who was easily the best of these over hurdles, is expected to make a winning start to his chase career. Stormy Lord had some respectable form over hurdles when last seen in March 2003 but has been off for a long time and it is impossible to know how much ability he retains. Of more interest may be Ferdy Murphy's Green Ideal, although he has had plenty of chances and will need to have improved on last season's form to get the better of Chivalry.
