took keen hold and held up well in rear, headway on wide outside before 2 out, went 2nd soon after 2 out, stayed on well under pressure flat, not reach winner
in touch, chased winners 3 out, until weakened before next, soon eased when no chance
led to 5th, stayed tracking leader to 3 out, weakened quickly, tailed off
blundered 1st, soon tracked leaders, mistake 4 out, and weakened before next, tailed off
held up, effort and mistake 3 out, 5th and no chance when mistake last
pulled hard, held up, mistake 3rd, headway going well to track winner approaching 2 out, soon ridden and weakened
in rear, mistakes 5th and next, pulled up before 4 out
held up in rear, headway when mistake 3 out, weakened before next
tracked leader, led 5th to 3 out, weakened rapidly
chased leaders, every chance 3 out, one pace and held before next
tracked leaders, led 3 out, clear last, stayed on well flat
Although officially a 0-135 it is really a 0-120 with the weights having gone up 12lbs overnight. Most of these are relatively exposed including Il Cavaliere, who has been done no favours by the raising of the weights and although the front-running Balladeer will be difficult to peg back around this sharp track, the vote goes to the unexposed Tinoveritas. Paul Nicholls' five-year-old left quite an impression when running out a wide margin winner at Newbury and with plenty of improvement to come he could well prove to be a cut above his rivals. Balladeer, a useful performer on the flat when in the care of John Hills has taken a while to get his act together over hurdles, but, the change to front-running has brought about improvement and he looks sure to play his part in this. Fils A Papa has looked nothing out of the ordinary in France, but his trainer has such an enviable record in this country one cannot dismiss him lightly. Javelin was well beaten off this mark last time, but this looks slightly easier and is one to keep an eye on, as is the lightly-weighted Count Tony, who hails from the in-form Peter Bowen yard. The winner of a handicap hurdle back in 1999 off a mark of 114, he would still appear reasonably well treated off a 9lbs lower mark here. Bed Bug is only of limited ability and will almost certainly find this too competitive for him, but The Dark Lord is interesting as he is almost certainly capable of better than he has shown to date. Lucy Wadham's Lord Americo gelding, winner of two of his last three outings was in the process of running his best race when coming to grief at the second last at Huntingdon when upside the highly-regarded Be Fair (rated 122). He doesn't look badly treated on this first venture into handicap company off 114 and he has place claims at least, but Tinoveritas gets the vote in a competitive heat.
