took keen hold, hit 1st, tracked leader, led and hit 4th, headed 2 out, soon no chance with winner, lost 2nd flat
held up, headway to chase leaders before 4 out, went 2nd 3 out, led 2 out, soon in command, drew well clear flat, easily
chased leaders, hit 4th, lost place under pressure next, tailed off
chased leaders, ridden after 3 out, soon outpaced, no danger after
in touch, lost place after 4th, pushed along approaching 3 out, never near leaders after
led until headed 4th, stayed prominent, ridden and no impression when hit 2 out, went poor 2nd flat
in touch, hit 4th, ridden and struggling 3 out
pulled hard in rear, 7th and no chance when blundered 2 out
held up in touch, mistake 4th, weakened next, tailed off when pulled up approaching last
Prime Contender gets the nod over his stablemate Sebastiano, while Doctor David has to be respected and can make a bold attempt to shrug off top weight. Doctor David faced a couple of stiff tests after winning a maiden hurdle at Fakenham last March, but his is more his grade. He has a likeable attitude and can be relied upon to run his race. Sebastiano is an interesting recruit from France that can at least be expected to handle the ground. He seems equally adept over fences and hurdles, so looks a fun horse for Gary Moore to go to war with this term. However, Prime Contender has the experience of the British way of racing and, at the likely odds, the five-year-old is too tempting a betting proposition to miss out on.
Doctor David 4-7fav (10-2) Led, hit 5th, headed 3 out, rallied and every chance next, stumbled last, no extra, 3rd of 10, 3 1/2l behind Delta Lady (10-4) at Fakenham 2m nov hdl (4) gf in May.
Prime Contender 11-2 (11-5) Held up, hit 3 out, driven and weakened approaching next, 5th of 7, 14l behind Romany Prince (11-7) at Kempton 2m hcp hdl 0-130 (3) sft in Jan.
Final Bid (IRE) 16-1 (11-1) Held up last, reminder after 5th, weakened well before 3 out, last of 9, 28l behind Lothian Falcon (11-5) at Wetherby 2m 3f hcp hdl 0-125 (3) gf.
Dusty Dane (IRE) 15-2 (11-5) Prominent, not fluent 3rd, mistake 4th, ridden, headway approaching 2 out, ran on one pace flat, 5th of 9, 2l behind John Charles (11-5) at Wincanton 2m hcp hdl 0-115 (4) gf in Apr.
Sebastiano (FR) (10-1) 4th of 11, 4 1/2l behind Pink World (10-1) at Cagnes-Sur-mer 2m 2f 4yo chs in Jan.
Coconut Beach 5-1 (10-12) Held up in rear, headway after 8th, shaken up and beaten before 2 out, 6th of 9, 16l behind Lothian Falcon (11-5) at Wetherby 2m 3f hcp hdl 0-125 (3) gf.
My World (FR) 7-1 (11-10) Tracked leaders through out, held from 5 out, 3rd of 6, well behind Nice Try (11-3) at Chepstow 2m 3f hcp chs 0-125 (3) hvy in Mar.
Kingkohler (IRE) 8-1 (10-12) Raced keenly, in rear, ridden and weakened approaching 3 out, 8th of 9, 35l behind Kanad (11-7) at Huntingdon 2m hcp hdl 0-130 (3) gd in Oct.
Cortinas (GER) 5-1 (11-0) Towards rear, mistake 2nd, headway 4 out, weakened 2 out, 8th of 15, 27l behind Planet of Sound (11-0) at Chepstow 2m mdn hdl (5) gd.
