held up, smooth headway approaching 2 out, led last, shaken up flat, impressive
led, headed 5th, led again after 6th, ridden after 4 out, headed last, no chance with winner
held up, ridden after 4 out, weakened from 2 out
tracked leaders, ridden 3 out, one pace and no impression from next
tracked leader, led 5th until after next, ridden approaching 3 out, weakened next
held up in rear, hit 3rd, headway 4 out, hit 3 out, soon weakened
tracked leaders, close up when fell 4 out
Champion Hurdle hope Rhinestone Cowboy is back and he can make a winning return with Double Honour and Newhall looking set to fight out the places. The Jonjo O'Neill-trained seven-year-old oozes class, as he showed when landing the Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton last year, although he was slightly disappointing when third in the big one itself at Cheltenham. However, he sets the level required here and he can make a winning start to the campaign under JP Magnier, who has won on him before. In receipt of 24lbs (disregarding the rider's allowance), Double Honour could provide his biggest threat as he ran well when second to the progressive Mughas at Chepstow in a valuable handicap last time. Irish raider Newhall and The Last Cast look best of the rest. The former was good enough to win at Grade 3 level as a juvenile and will be fit from the Flat, while The Last Cast kept on progressing last year until being beaten off a mark of 122 on his last run. In reality, though, The Rhinestone Cowboy simply oozes class and it will be disappointing, barring mishaps, if he is not good enough to win and, accordingly, gets the nomination.
