always behind, tailed off from 6th, pulled up before 3 out
held up, headway to chase winner approaching 3 out, kept on and no chance with winner from next
held up, hit 3rd, chased winner from 4 out, ridden approaching next, weakened 2 out
tracked leader, led approaching 5th, clear 3 out, hit last, unchalleneged
tracked leaders, ridden after 4 out, no impression from 2 out
mid-division, ridden and weakened from 4 out
mid-division, ridden and behind from 4 out, tailed off and pulled up before 2 out
led, headed approaching 5th, weakened from 4 out
The opening event on the card looks pretty one-sided, with Iorana holding all the aces, and only Double Blade put up as a potential rival. Iorana was good enough to win the Free Handicap Hurdle at Chepstow two years ago but had sunk to landing a lowly seller at Hereford nine days ago, after which he left Martin Pipe to begin a new career with Kelly Marks. He lines up in the claimer with the proverbial ton in hand, so there is the possibility that he will be on the move again if impressive enough under Richard Johnson. Double Blade normally runs well here, having scored twice over two miles, but the extra half mile and the likelihood of further rain will not help his chances. of the rest, Aston Mara has an absence to overcome but should get every help in the saddle from Tony Dobbin.
