chased leaders, mistake 1st, outpaced from 11th
made all, drew clear from 11th, unchallenged
held up, headway to chase winner 5th, outpaced from 11th
tracked leaders, mistake 11th, soon weakened, tailed off when pulled up before 5 out
in touch, dropped rear 3rd, lost touch halfway, tailed off when pulled up before 2 out
Lord Transcend looks to have been found a suitable opportunity to make a winning debut to his chase career and should score with the minimum of fuss with Fashions Monty fancied to get the better of Strong Resolve for the forecast spot. The selection was easily the best of these over hurdles beating useful yardstick Deano's Beeno in a Grade 2 contest at Haydock on his penultimate start before finishing a creditable fifth in the Martell Cognac Aintree Hurdle. The son of Aristocracy has always looked likely to do better over fences and, with the six-year-old sure to have been well schooled, it is difficult to see how he can be beaten. Fashions Monty was moderate at best when trained in Ireland but may still be the best of the opposition, especially as he has now joined the yard of Ferdy Murphy. Strong Resolve ran with credit behind the useful Our Armageddon here last time but is far from certain to be suited by the longer trip today. Of the remainder, Solway Gale makes more appeal than Blackout but this should all be about Lord Transcend, who is taken to give Howard Johnson another winner.
