held up towards rear, reminders approaching 10th, never a threat
tracked leader, hit 3rd, mistake 4th, reminders and lost place after 7th, hit 9th, well held in 4th when blundered last
tracked leaders, took closer order 6th, ridden approaching 2 out, no impression on winner when lost 2nd near finish
held up, headway to chase leaders 4 out, ridden approaching 3 out, kept on to take 2nd near finish, no chance with winner
tracked leaders, led 4 out, clear when jumped right 2 out and last, readily
in rear, headway approaching 8th, ridden after 3 out, kept on, no impression
led, jumped right 3rd, headed 4 out, ridden approaching next, jumped right 2 out and weakened, jumped badly right last
There are three previous course winners in this line up with Swainson, I Need A Hero and Wade Farm Billy, but our selection is KANAD. The pick had a poor race against Mous Of Men last time but the eight-year-old has had some decent runs at Fakenham this year and if finding that form here could go back to winning ways. Hibiki who runs in the cheekpieces had a promising start to his career but has struggled to find form of late and will need to perform much better than last time at Haydock where he finished fourty-nine lengths behind the winner. It would take a vast improvement to challenge here but Richard Johnson has had a couple of winners on board Hibiki and will try again today. Wade Farm Billy has won here before but although being a consistent performer has not looked like winning of late. Swainson has not won since a victory here year and has run poorly since then. I Need A Hero won here last time out and looks the main danger. However, we choose to side with Kanad to pick up the win.
Diaco (IRE) 10-1 (11-7) Chased leaders, 2nd halfway, lost place before 3 out where 8th, ridden into 7th last, kept on same pace, 5th of 22, 6l behind Tell Me The Story (11-2) at Punchestown 2m 4f 4yo mdn hdl hvy in Nov '08.
Hibiki (IRE) 33-1 (10-6) Towards rear, pushed along approaching 4th, soon weakened, 16th of 23, 49l behind Eradicate (10-1) at Haydock 2m hcp hdl G3 (1) gd in May.
I Need A Hero (IRE) 16-1 (11-0) Held up mid-division, headway approaching 3 out, soon carried wide after, ridden approaching last, led flat, kept on, won at Fontwell 2m 2f mdn hdl (4) gf in May beating Crimson Canyon (10-9) by 3l, 10 ran.
Kanad 7-1 (11-0) Tracked leaders, bumped by loose horse 6th, ridden 9th, weakened approaching 3 out, tailed off, 3rd of 5, 38l behind Mous Of Men (11-0) at Uttoxeter 2m 4f beg chase (4) gd in May.
Nintytwo Team (IRE) 13-2 (11-12) In rear, ridden into 8th after 3 out, struggling but in touch when fell 2 out, in a race won by Warcraft (11-7) at Ballinrobe 2m 6f beg chase gd in May, 13 ran.
Swainson (USA) 80-1 (11-0) Held up behind, reminders and detached from 4th, went remote 4th 3 out, never dangerous, 4th of 6, well behind Marc of Brilliance (10-7) at Fontwell 2m 6f beg chase (4) gd in May.
Wade Farm Billy (IRE) 9-2 (10-12) Led to 2nd, tracked leader until lost place 3 out, soon driven and outpaced, disputed 2nd when not fluent 2 out, ridden and kept on under pressure flat, just held for 2nd, last of 3, 9l behind Noble Request (11-5) at Huntingdon 2m nov chs (4) gf in May.
