led, hit 2nd, ridden and headed 5th, weakened next, blundered badly 2 out and immediately pulled up
jumped left and never fluent, prominent, ridden approaching 5th, soon beaten
pulled hard behind leaders, led after 3 out, soon clear, easily
tracked leader, led 5th, ridden and headed after 3 out, kept on but no chance with winner
Navado can get recent losses back at the expense of Belcaro and Martin Pipe's newcomer Minibule. Tony McCoy is really getting to know the Jackdaws Castle inmates now and should be capable of bringing about the improvement needed by Navado. Winner of a valuable handicap on the Flat at Newbury for Sir Michael Stoute, the sky looked the limit when he was sent to Jonjo O'Neill, but he has taken time to get the hang of things over hurdles. However, he hacked up at Market Rasen in March and would have been involved had he not made a mistake three out in a better race at Stratford next time. Zindabad's half-brother has the class but just needs to brush up his jumping and in this small field he should have plenty of room to stride out. So there should not be any excuses. Belcaro has not impressed since being put into handicap-company and will surely struggle off levels with the selection, and a bigger danger may be Minibule, successful on the Flat in France. Those wins were gained with cut in the ground though and he may be taken off his feet here by the superior Flat speed of Navado who can outclass this opposition to prove that he has a future over timber.
