in touch, ridden to lead approaching last, hit and kept on gamely
tracked leader, led 5th, ridden and headed approaching last, faded
tracked leaders, ridden to chase leaders after 2 out, weakened approaching last
led, headed 5th, ridden and weakened after 2 out
keen in rear, mistake 2nd, headway after 7th, ridden to join leader last, kept on just denied
towards rear, close to order 5th, weakened 2 out
in touch, jumped right 1st, headway 2 out, ridden soon after and weakened approaching last
The shortlist here contains Sobers, Chaim and Zabeel Palace, with the vote going to Chaim. Sobers was value for a wider margin when scoring over course and distance last time and has to be on the list of possible winners. However, Chaim, who will relish today's conditions, has shown a good level of form in bumpers - he finished in mid-division in the Cheltenham Bumper and won twice at that level - before finishing in mid-division in a pretty decent novices' event at Newbury. With that run under his belt, he can step up here. Of obvious interest is the Barney Curley-trained Zabeel Palace, an 83-rated 10-furlong handicap winner on the Flat, while Kings Signal ran well at Plumpton last time on his first run in a year and is entitled to improve on that. Corker would hold claims on the best of his 2005 form but Flying Forme did not show much on his hurdling debut for Philip Hobbs and Lissara showed bumper promise in 2004 but has been seen only once since then. All of which returns us to the selection, which is Chaim.
Sobers (IRE) 5-2fav (10-11) Held up, headway 3 out, ran on well to lead run-in, readily, won at Folkestone 2m 1f nh nov hdl (4) gs in Nov beating Buckland Gold (11-0) by 1/2l, 10 ran.
Chaim (IRE) 7-1 (11-0) Mid-division, ridden and struggling 4 out, 8th of 15, 38l behind Sizing Europe (11-0) at Newbury 2m nh mdn hdl (3) gs in Nov.
Corker 40-1 (11-5) Held up in last pair, pushed along after 3 out, headway and one pace approaching 2 out, mistake last, 5th of 11, 15l behind Magnesium (11-11) at Sandown 2m nov hcp hdl 0-115 (3) sft.
Flying Forme (IRE) 20-1 (10-7) In touch until weakened approaching 3 out, tailed off, 9th of 10, well behind My Turn Now (11-8) at Sandown 2m nh nov hdl (3) sft.
Kings Signal (USA) 7-1 (10-12) Held up, effort after 3 out, went 2nd between last 2, no impression, 2nd of 8, 7l behind Osana (10-12) at Plumpton 2m nov hdl (4) sft in Nov.
Lissara (IRE) 50-1 (10-11) Always rear division, 12th of 15, well behind Sizing Europe (11-0) at Newbury 2m nh mdn hdl (3) gs in Nov.
Zabeel Palace 20-1 (9-7) Led 1f, stayed prominent, led 5f out, ridden and headed 3f out, kept on same pace final 2f, 6th of 14, 6l behind Abhisheka (9-8) at Windsor 1m 2f hcp 0-85 (4) gs in Oct (Flat).
