held up in touch, smooth headway 3 out, soon ridden, beaten when jumped left next
held up in rear, ridden and no impression from 3 out
tracked leader, led 3rd, ridden clear approaching 2 out, joined approaching last, quickened final 100 yards, comfortably
tracked leaders, ridden approaching 3 out, soon behind
tracked leaders, chased winner from 3rd, strong challenge approaching last, every chance flat, outpaced final 100 yards
led and set good pace, headed 3rd, weakened 3 out, tailed off
A good trial for the Champion Hurdle, with Intersky Falcon hoping to cement his position towards the head of the market. John Jo O'Neill's Polar Falcon gelding, has done nothing but improve since the Spring, claiming some notable scalps along the way, including that of Marble Arch to whom he was giving 8lbs. It is hard to see the latter reversing the form on worse terms. The reigning champion Hors La Loi III, took a heavy fall on his reappearance at Cheltenham earlier this month. He normally takes a race or two to put right and is passed over, while the four-year-old Santenay has too much on his plate on these terms. After taking a dislike to fences, Ilnamar has done nothing but improve since switching his attentions back to timber. The winner of the Grade 1 Martell Hurdle at Aintree in the Spring, he is clearly at home on a sharp track, but whether he has the speed for this two miles round here, remains to be seen. A bigger threat may come from Davenport Milenium, who remains unexposed over hurdles, but there is a suspicion he may just find too much emphasis on speed round here.
