held up in touch, effort approaching 2 out, kept on one pace
held up towards rear, pushed along 3 out, no impression when hampered 2 out
mid-division, headway approaching 3 out, effort approaching 2 out, soon weakened
mid-division, outpaced 4 out, rallied between last two, stayed on strongly run-in to go 2nd near finish
tracked leaders, ridden approaching 3 out, one pace next
behind, weakened halfway, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out
mid-division, headway 3 out, close 4th when fell 2 out
in touch, headway 4 out, challenged 3 out, chance next, no extra approaching last
led, headed 3 out, weakened 2 out
always behind
tracked leader, led 3 out, pushed out
raced keen in touch, weakened 4 out
held up towards rear, weakened halfway, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out
held up towards rear, headway approaching 3 out to track leaders, weakened after next
A moderate contest in which Thunderclap is taken to open his account and is preferred to Coustou and Waziya. The last mentioned was little better than plating class on the flat but looks to be better over hurdles judged by her debut second behind Manoubi at Perth in August. That race was little more than a spring though and the form may be suspect so preference is for Thunderclap. John Quinn's gelding lost his way on the flat but has shown enough in two starts over hurdles to suggest that a race of this nature would be well within his compass. Coustou is similarly unexposed over timber and has to be respected after an encouraging run in a better race than this at Hexham last time. Hurdling debutantes Merlins Profit, Compton Princess and Preveza would not need to be out of the ordinary to take a hand but none of the trio showed much on the flat and they are difficult to recommend, even in this lowly grade. Jim Goldie's Mount Pekan is another worthy of a mention but for the vote we side with Thunderclap.
