held up and behind, headway when pecked 2 out, soon outpaced, switched left and stayed on approaching last, stayed on same pace flat
held up in rear, pushed along approaching 2 out, soon beaten
led, hard ridden after 2 out, headed just before last, stayed on to regain 2nd post
prominent, pushed along when hit 3 out, weakened approaching 2 out
held up, smooth headway from 3 out, led on bit just before last, ridden and quickened flat, readily
held up, headway approaching 5th, challenged going well after 2 out, every chance last, not quicken flat
prominent, close up 2 out, one pace approaching last
held up in rear, headway after 4th, ridden and weakened approaching 3 out
Perouse put up a career best effort when landing the Elite Hurdle at Wincanton but this looks tougher under a 6lb penalty and preference is for Trouble At Bay, who is preferred to the reappearing Rooster Booster. The last mentioned, the Champion Hurdle winner in 2003, lost no caste in defeat when second behind Hardy Eustace in this year's renewal or behind the same horse at Punchestown more recently in April. He has to be respected but faces no easy task under top weight and preference is for Trouble At Bay. Alan King has his horses in good form now so the son of Slip Anchor is entitled to come on for his recent return at Kempton behind the subsequently disappointing Rigmarole. A useful juvenile hurdler last season when winning five times prior to running mid division in the Triumph Hurdle, the four-year-old starts of this term off a fair mark and is taken to make the most of the weight that he receives. Rigmarole has claims on Kempton form but is well held by Perouse on running at Wincanton and a safer proposition may be Accordion Etoile, who represents the in-form stable of Paul Nolan. Nicky Henderson's Geos can never be completely dismissed and has claims if fit for his return, along with Martin Pipe's Westender, who goes well round here. Trouble At Bay has plenty going for him though and he gets the vote.
