held up, headway approaching 4 out, ridden after 2 out, kept on one-paced flat
led, headed 4 out, mistake next, weakened approaching 2 out
prominent, mistake 9th, ridden after 2 out, not fluent last, kept on one-paced
held up towards rear, fell 3rd
held up, hampered 3rd, mistake 9th, headway after 14th, mistake 4 out, challenging when left in lead 2 out, ran on well flat
held up towards rear, mistake 12th, ridden 14th, weakened approaching 3 out
prominent, led 4 out, mistake 2 out and sprwaled on lading, eased, pulled before last
tracked leader, mistake 13th, ridden and outpaced 4 out, kept on again approaching last
held up in touch, headway 9th, not fluent 14th, pushed along approaching 3 out, weakened after next
held up in touch, not fluent 6th, reminders after 8th, ridden 14th, soon struggling, behind and pulled up before 2 out
behind and until fell 10th
A competitive start to the Open meeting, with top weight Samuel Wilderspin likely to go very close. A course and distance winner in this race last year, Richard Lee's gelding goes particularly well when fresh, has won on the ground and stays very well. He is on a fairly good mark here too, so he looks sure to be in the shake-up. But the TEAMtalk vote goes to the bang-in-form nine-year-old Pessimistic Dick. There is no substitute for confidence and Hughie Morrison's gelding will be full of that after four wins on the trot. Admittedly, he has gone up 29lbs for those success, which included a course and distance success recently. A good jumper who looks as genuine as they come, he should be followed until he is beaten, and he may well still be good enough to win this. Another course and distance winner, Twisted Logic has been dropping down the weights and gets in off a mark of 119, which he is well capable of winning from. The Robert Alner-trained gelding loves both trip and ground but has plenty to find with the selection on recent running here. Frantic Tan has always looked a classy sort, but rather lost his way last season and is best watched at present, while Prancing Blade looks to be in the grip of the handicapper at the moment. Kim Bailey-trained Mistletoe is an interesting contender. The eight-year-old won the Mares Only Final at Uttoxeter in March by 18 lengths. She is untried at this trip, though, but if she stays she looks like being suited by better ground here and is still open to improvement. One who has plenty to prove at present is Be My Manager. The form of his defeat of subsequent Festival winner Frenchman's Creek here in January 2001 looks very good now, but he was very disappointing last season and did not set the world alight on his reappearance. Potentially the seven-year-old is the best horse in the race, but he is best watched until showing signs of a revival. Of the remainder, Martin Pipe's Iris Bleu would have a definite chance on his best form and cannot be ruled out if he is fit first time, and Irish raider Rigolade comes here following easy September wins at both Uttoxeter and Listowel and on ground he will enjoy, plus a feather weight, he should be involved in the finish.
