chased leaders, mistake 10th, soon outpaced, kept on one pace from 3 out
held up towards rear, fell 4th
led, headed 5 out, left in lead 3 out, headed next, 3 lengths down and held when blundered and unseated rider last
in touch to 8ths, soon outpaced, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out
tracked leaders, disputed lead 9th, led 5 out, until fell 3 out
mid-division, headway 5th to chase leaders, outpaced approaching 4 out, headway under pressure approaching 2 out, no impression when left 2nd last
held up in rear, hampered and detached 4th, steady headway from 8th, led 2 out, left clear last
Joint Authority is the pick of the Len Lungo pair, with The Tinker and Chevalier Errant expected to give him most to do. Joint Authority has taken well to fences and since opening his account at Sedgefield, has not been out of the first two. After winning readily at Musselburgh the time before last, he was run out of it near the finish on a return visit to the Scottish track, an eight-pound rise no doubt instrumental in his defeat. Given a break since, he should come back fresh, and with Bruce Gibson claiming a handy three-pounds, is preferred over stablemate Mr Hornblower who has been hard to get right. A bigger threat is The Tinker, whose jumping has improved of late, earning him wins here and at Musselburgh where he showed that he gets a trip. Chevalier Errant still looks on a fair mark but has yet to win since James Adam sent him to Martin Todhunter. He has taken on good company in the past and it would be no surprise if he were to come good again. Running Mute has been absent for some time and will improve for both the outing and when stepped up in distance, but on this occasion Joint Authority looks the safest option, being fit and in form.
