tracked leader, upsides 11th, narrow lead from next, going strongly when left well clear 3 out, eased run-in
tended to jumped right, led, joined 11th, headed next, 3 lengths down, ridden, when blundered and saddle slipped unseated rider 3 out
soon well adrift of front pair, lost touch 8th, left poor 2nd 3 out
took keen hold, tracking leaders in 3rd when blundered unseated rider 2nd
This race has cut up quite badly and it's hard to look beyond Barbers Shop. The selection produced a career best performance to finish a close second in the Jewson at the Festival where he would surely have won but for losing valuable momentum at the last. His career has been hampered by his jumping which has never been that fluent but he appears to be getting to grips with things, albeit a touch slowly; it will be interesting to see how he gets on with Tony McCoy on board. Gardasee won well on his chase debut and then finished second in a Grade 1 race in Ireland but subsequent events would suggest that that flatters him and he's plenty to prove now. Kinkeel and The Preacher hold no realistic chance on the form book and Barbers Shop has this race at his mercy.
Barbers Shop 12-1 (10-13) In touch, took closer order 8th, ridden approaching 2 out, every chance last, stayed on flat, 2nd of 20, nk behind Finger Onthe Pulse (10-12) at Cheltenham 2m 4f nov hcp chs (1) gs in Mar.
Gardasee (GER) 5-1 (11-4) Led, 10 lengths clear when pulled up at the 5th in race won by Air Force One (11-8) at Market Rasen 3m 1f nov chs (3) gd, 4 ran.
Kinkeel (IRE) 66-1 (10-7) Held up, headway 10th, left close 3rd 11th, ridden and every chance approaching 3 out, weakened 2 out, 3rd of 7, 14l behind Menchikov (11-5) at Taunton 2m 7f nov chs (4) gs.
The Preacher 22-1 (10-5) Held up 4th, hit 6th, beaten when blundered and unseated rider 5 out in race won by Warpath (11-0) at Chepstow 2m nov chs (4) gd, 4 ran.
