Expert Analysis

A disappointing turnout numerically and not a strong race for the grade, the first 2 showing useful form rather than better. It was run at a respectable pace, the runner-up increasing that going to 3 out and looking hard to catch until he messed up the last, the winner’s final 4f of 59.52s equal to a 102.2% finishing speed on what was indeed good to soft going.

MARK OF GOLD (c140 here, unraced chases previously) rewarded some enterprising placing with a win at the first attempt over fences, impressing with how soundly he jumped on the whole held up though less fluent when chasing the second 2 out, staying on when presented with the lead just after the last and kept up to his work. He should progress in this sphere but would have something to find with the best novice chasers seen so far.

PERSONAL AMBITION (c138+ here, 131 previously) might just have held on but for getting the last all wrong, merely keeping on though he was by the time, disputing/leading before kicking on into a lead of about 3 lengths after 3 out but passed early on the run-in. He already looks a better chaser than he was as a hurdler.

JOHNNYWHO (c123 here, 137 previously) was let down by his jumping, a mixture of minor errors and lack of fluency, and was quickly outpaced when things heated up.

RARE EDITION (c122 here, 136 previously) found disappointingly little after racing close up, below the form of his previous 2 efforts over fences, never mind the pick of his form over hurdles.