tracked leaders, challenged 4 out, driven next, one pace and no impression when hit last
held up in touch, outpaced 5 out, never on terms
nearly unseated rider 1st, tracked leader, led 6th, made rest, drew clear between last 2, driven out
led to 6th, tracked leader, blundered and lost place 5 out, soon outpaced
in touch, headway 5 out, outpaced next
behind, lost touch halfway, tailed off 5 out
DOCTOR DAVID is preferred here to Salford City and Astarador. Caroline Bailey's gelding comes here fresh having refused to start at Aintree earlier this month. He has not really shown that level of recalcitrance before which is a slight worry but his level of form is solid, and his run behind Gauvain at Sandown was no disgrace despite him lacking his usual fluency. His earlier beating of subsequent Grade One winner Kalahari King is the best bit of form in the race and seeing as he seems to act on any ground, he looks worth a bet. Gordon Elliott's record at the track is fine and Salford City looks a big player here. Barry Geraghty is an interesting booking for a horse who is a Grade Two winner over hurdles and who has taken to fences well, winning two of his three starts. He goes well on quick ground and he must be of interest here. Premier Dane is a course and distance winner but Nicky Richards' gelding has over a stone to find on the ratings and recent efforts have been lacklustre; however he does come good at this time of the year and he has won two of his three starts at the track. Astarador is unexposed and if we judge him on his run behind Kalahari King at Musselburgh then he becomes interesting. He was last seen disappointing in the Jewsons' at Cheltenham and will need to bounce back to form so we will return to Doctor David for the winner.
Doctor David 5-2 (11-2) Tracked leading pair, hit 3 out, weakened into 4th and blundered last, last of 5, 12l behind Gauvain (10-12) at Sandown 2m nov chs G2 (1) gs in Feb.
Premier Dane (IRE) 50-1 (11-4) Held up in rear, jumped right 1st, jumped slow 3rd, pushed along after 5th, soon outpaced, 5th of 6, 38l behind Kalahari King (11-4) at Aintree 2m nov ch Grd 1 (1) gs.
Salford City (IRE) 12-1 (11-12) Raced 4th, ridden in 3rd after 3 out, no extra straight, 5th of 7, 40l behind Fiveforthree (11-12) at Wexford 2m hdl gs in Mar.
Astarador (FR) 18-1 (10-12) Jumped low, led, hit 2nd, headed when hit 8th, stayed prominent, hit 4 out, every chance when hit 3 out, weakened before next, 8th of 20, 35l behind Chapoturgeon (10-11) at Cheltenham 2m 5f nov Listed hcp hdl (1) gs in Mar.
All For The Cause (IRE) 7-2 (10-12) Prominent, led 6th, headed when mistake last, no extra flat, 2nd of 12, 10l behind Ingratitude (11-5) at Sedgefield 2m beg chase (4) gf.
Athollbrose (USA) 125-1 (10-0) Held up towards rear, struggling from 7th, 6th of 7, 24l behind Et Maintenant (11-9) at Ayr 2m hcp chs 0-115 (4) sft in Mar.
