held up towards rear, headway 7th, ridden to chase leaders 3 out, weakened next
set steady pace, jumped left throughout, quickened after 4 out, ridden and headed soon after last, kept on
raced keenly, held up mid-division, headway 4 out, joined leaders on bit next, shaken up to lead soon after last, quickened to clear flat comfortably
keen, tracked leader, in touch when mistake 3 out, ridden and kept on one pace last
held up towards rear, headway 4 out, effort 2 out, soon ridden, weakened flat
chased leaders to 7th, soon outpaced, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out
held up, headway 7th, weakened approaching 4 out, tailed off when pulled up before next
This appears to lie between Patriarch Express, Powder Creek and Sir Rowland Hill, with our vote going to Sir Rowland Hill. The selection hails from the in-form Ferdy Murphy yard. A winner of one of his three bumper starts, he has shown more than enough to suggest a novice hurdle is within his grasp, and this race lacks overall strength. He is making his hurdling debut, as is Patriarch Express. The Geoff Harker-trained gelding is dual bumper winner, and ended the season by running in the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival, so must be held in some regard. Mary Reveley runs Powder Creek. Much as the six-year-old has had his problems, he proved that he had ability by winning a Worcester bumper in May 2002. He too makes his hurdling debut but hasn't raced for 541 days. Overall, then, we think that Sir Rowland Hill can put his stamp on the race.
