held up in touch, led 3 out, clear next, easily
close up, ridden 2 out, kept on, no chance with winner
always towards rear, pulled up before last
led, ridden and headed 3 out, weakened next
in touch, ridden 9th, weakened next
always prominent, ridden 3 out, weakened next
mid-division, tailed off 9th, pulled up before next
towards rear, effort 8th, pulled up before 10th
always towards rear, hit 4th, never dangerous
held up in touch, ridden approaching 3 out, soon beaten, pulled up before next
Staying will be the name of the game here in testing ground, though there are few in the field who have proved they can do that. Lady Laureate was rated as high as 78 on the flat on her latest effort in the Cesarewitch and has so far this season been much more highly tried than this over hurdles. Certainly there is no disgrace in being thrashed by a classy horse like Coolnagorna, as Lady Laureate has on her last two starts and even if she runs up to that form she would have to have a decent chance here. Though she has done most of her winning on the flat on fast ground, she seemed to handle cut well enough on those two latest starts and was staying on well enough last time to suggest that this trip will suit her better. If she handles the sharp turns then she can score. Horsemanship can often be a key factor in these amateur contests and there is no one better from the unpaid ranks than Christian Williams, who will give Comanche War Point every assistance from the saddle. The Paul Nicholls-trained gelding will surely come on leaps and bounds for his debut run at Folkestone last month, when he finished well behind Murphy's Cardinal on heavy ground. A better showing is expected and he may well challenge the selection. Ferdy Murphy has a decent record here and Ferrets Hill represents his yard. This will be the first time the seven-year-old has raced on genuinely soft ground since a promising second on debut in a bumper here. With his knowledge of the track, cut in the ground and some good from from his yard at the moment he could improve on his third here last time. Being by Phardante, Pharaway Citizen would not really want the ground to become too testing, though he has shown a bit of form on soft at Taunton last year. A 10 length second to Druid's Glen at Southwell when he was last seen out on a racecourse in April 2002 represents good form as far as this contest is concerned and he could go well, though the ground would be the major concern. Of the remainder Chief Witness catches the eye as a debutante from the shrewd yard of Noel Chance. Bred to be a jumper (his dam was by Deep Run), the unraced seven-year-old is unlikely to be found wanting for practice at home and it is advised that an eye should be kept on the market to see what sort of confidence there is behind the gelding.
