towards rear, ridden halfway, plugged on
always going well, steady headway 3 out, led 2 out, soon ridden clear, comfortable
tracked leaders throughout, ridden to chase winner approaching 2 out, weakened
towards rear, hampered 5th, some headway next, weakened
in touch, mistake 3rd, headway after 4th, ridden to chase leaders 3 out, soon weakened
in rear, hampered 5th, ridden and weakened 3 out
in rear, tailed off when pulled up before 2 out
in touch and keen hold, ridden to chase leaders 3 out, weakened next
towards rear, not fluent 1st, tailed off when hampered 5th, behind when pulled up before 2 out
in touch, hampered 5th, ridden and kept on
led, ridden 3 out, weakening when headed approaching 2 out
with leader, ridden 3 out, outpaced soon after and stayed on again to chase winner, no chance
held up rear, headway 4th, ridden and weakened 3 out, pulled up before 2 out
keen hold in mid-division, towards rear when hampered 5th, pulled up before 2 out
in rear and mistakes, tailed off 3rd, pulled up before next
This is probably the best juvenile hurdle run so far this term and with the stable of Paul Nicholls beginning to hit top form now the vote goes to Cerium, who is preferred to Incursion and Noble Request. The selection makes his debut for current connections today but showed enough on his only start over timber in France to suggest that a race of this nature would be well within his compass. Incursion rates the main danger. Alan King's gelding lost no caste in defeat behind Jonjo O'Neill's Schapiro in an above average juvenile hurdle at Newton Abbot. Rated in the 80s on the flat, the son of Inchinor has the ability to make the grade over timber. He rates a bigger threat than the Philip Hobbs-trained Noble Request, who showed decent form on the flat in France but was well held by Salut Saint Cloud (beaten on Thursday) on his hurdling debut. Paul Webber's runners always warrant respect, particularly if the market speaks in their favour, so recent Lingfield maiden winner Kentmere is worthy of a mention. David Elsworth could hardly have his string in better form at present so Love Triangle is another to consider along with Charlie Mann's Zouave, who ran promising on his debut over timber when third behind Garnett at Wincanton. Three Welshmen has been placed in his two outings so far but this looks tougher than either of those two races and preference is for Cerium who is taken to make a winning start to his career with Paul Nicholls.
