led, ridden over 2f out, headed over 1f out, soon weakened
chased leaders, ridden and weakened 3f out
chased leader, ridden over 3f out, weakened over 2f out
mid-division, ridden and headway over 3f out, led over 1f out, headed final furlong, kept on
towards rear and out paced, ridden over 2f out, headway over 1f out, kept on an no impression
mid-division, pushed along and steady headway 4f out, ridden to lead 1f out, ran on well
towards rear, effort over 3f out, no impression
slowly away, in rear, ridden over 2f out, headway over 1f out, stayed on inside final furlong
chased leaders, ridden over 3f out, weakened final 2f out
slowly away, torwards rear, headway on inner 4f out, ridden and not much room over 2f out, stayed on well inside final furlong nearest at finish
Oscar Pepper showed signs of a return to form at Hamilton last time and has to be respected off the same mark but preference is for Trouble Mountain, who is taken to reverse earlier form with Olivia Rose. Half a length separated the pair when they clashed at Redcar last month with the Jeff Pearce-trained Olivia Rose coming out on top on that occasion. The daughter of Mujadil has twice been placed since then and has received little respite from the handicapper as a result. Trouble Mountain by comparison has since failed to stay 1m4f here at Ripon before not being seen at his best around Chester's tight turns last time. On 5lb better terms than when beaten behind Olivia Rose at Redcar, Trouble Mountain gets the vote to take his revenge. The handicapper has dropped La Sylphide to a more realistic mark and she has to be respected along with Richard Fahey's Indian Solitaire, who may be better than his latest start would suggest as the stable were under a cloud at the time. Milton Bradley's Johannian and Tim Easterby's Go Tech are others worthy of a mention but the vote goes to Trouble Mountain for who Richard Hughes looks an eye-catching jockey booking.
