tracked leader, mistake 6th, lost 2nd 12th, outpaced by leading pair when blundered 3 out, no chance when jumped left next
raced keenly, settled behind leading pair, tracked leader from 12th, going well last, driven final 150 yards, led post
jumped right 1st, in rear, mistake and lost touch 7th, fell 8th
led, not fluent 7th, mistake 13th, pushed along from 3 out, joined flat, kept on well under pressure until headed post
A tricky one to call despite the lack of number but Tanikos appears to have got his act together over fences and is marginally preferred over the luckless Flinders Chase, who is entitled to win a race like this one of these days, and Russian Gigolo, who has a little to prove as he drops back in trip. Whereas, in all fairness, Trusting Paddy has it all to do and his connections will be hoping that he can complete in his own time. Therefore, with his weight-for-age allowance coming into play again, Tanikos appeals a the most reliable selection today. The five-year-old could not have made a more inauspicious start to his chasing career than when he tipped up in a farce of a two-horse-race at Southwell last December, but he made amends with a good display at Hereford next time. Tanikos' subsequent effort behind The Bandit marginally gives him the beating of Flinders Chase if that form is taken literally, so with, the ground also in his favour, he is taken to put the Henderson team back amongst the winners this afternoon; but only just. Flinders Chase has enjoyed a torrid time of things in his last few starts and has suffered at the hands of some sloppy jumping from some of his rivals. However, Noel Fehily is becoming adept at playing a waiting game and the Irishman is more than capable of exploiting any weaknesses in Tanikos' jumping today.
