| Course: CHELTENHAM | Race date:17/04/08 | Race time:2:55 | Runners:12 |
| Race distance:2m5f | Going:Good | Winners time:5m 19.31s |
| Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Stall | Weight | Age | RPR | OR | Odds | B High | B Ave | B Low | In run | Finished | Dist Behind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nation State | Philip Hide | G L Moore | 10-8 | 7 | 0 | 119 | 9/2J | NA | NA | NA | NA | 1 | ||
| Sir Bathwick | Noel Fehily | B G Powell | 11-3 | 9 | 0 | 128 | 10/1 | NA | NA | NA | NA | 2 | ½ | |
| Billesey | Lee Stephens | R J Price | 10-1 | 10 | 0 | 115 | 33/1 | NA | NA | NA | NA | 3 | hd | |
| Sprosser | Dominic Elsworth | O Sherwood | 10-10 | 8 | 0 | 121 | 9/2J | NA | NA | NA | NA | 4 | 1¼ | |
| Gold Medallist | Richard Johnson | P J Hobbs | 11-8 | 8 | 0 | 133 | 13/2 | NA | NA | NA | NA | 5 | nk | |
| Forest Green | Mr N Scholfield | P F Nicholls | 11-5 | 6 | 0 | 135 | 10/1 | NA | NA | NA | NA | 6 | ¾ | |
| Commemoration Day | P J Brennan | N A Twiston-Davies | 10-4 | 7 | 0 | 115 | 14/1 | NA | NA | NA | NA | 7 | 17 | |
| Sarin | A Coleman | Miss Venetia Williams | 10-5 | 10 | 0 | 121 | 10/1 | NA | NA | NA | NA | 8 | 10 | |
| Mister Potter | Warren Marston | R Lee | 10-8 | 8 | 0 | 119 | 13/2 | NA | NA | NA | NA | 9 | 51 | |
| Dune Raider | S P Jones | Dr R D P Newland | 10-1 | 7 | 0 | 115 | 28/1 | NA | NA | NA | NA | UR | ||
| Ocean Du Moulin | Sam Thomas | P F Nicholls | 11-1 | 6 | 0 | 126 | 15/2 | NA | NA | NA | NA | PU | ||
| Warpath | Paul Moloney | Evan Williams | 11-1 | 7 | 0 | 126 | 20/1 | NA | NA | NA | NA | PU |
Nation State tracked leaders, driven and hit 2 out, challenged last, stayed on strongly to lead near finish
Sir Bathwick led, ridden from 2 out, stayed on run-in but caught near finish
Billesey took keen hold early, in touch, tracked leaders 12th, ridden, hung left and one pace approaching last, continued to hang left but run on well run-in, going on close home
Sprosser in rear, headway 3 out, hard ridden and stayed on approaching 2 out, kept on well run-in but never quite going pace to challenge
Gold Medallist chased leaders, went 2nd 11th, ridden after 3 out, no impression on leader run-in and stayed on same pace
Forest Green held up in rear, hit 8th, blundered 4 out, hit 3 out and stayed on soon after, kept on run-in but never going pace to be competitive
Commemoration Day in rear, headway 11th, weakened 3 out
Sarin chased leaders, stumbled 9th (water) hit 12th, weakened after 3 out, blundered next
Mister Potter ridden 8th, always behind, tailed off
Warpath chased leaders, mistake 4th, saddle slipped, pulled up before 6th
Dune Raider chased leaders, hit 8th and 9th, weakening in rear when blundered and unseated rider 13th
Ocean Du Moulin in touch, chased leaders, mistake 12th, blundered and weakened 4 out, tailed off when pulled up before next
NATION STATE always travelled smoothly race but did well to score after getting in deep to the penultimate fence. Enjoying what were probably his ideal conditions, he knuckled down well under pressure to grab the luckless Sir Bathwick close home, reinforcing the view that he is enjoying life more with blinkers.
Sir Bathwickran a mighty race from the front, showing bags of enthusiasm in the role of hare. He deserved to win and is clearly at the top of his game, as is Billesey, who, although now ten years old, is continuing to blossom. Losing the services of his regular rider may not have been a positive, and it could be argued that the bottom weight was unlucky as, not only was he out of the handicap, but he was also steadied to secure a stride going into the final fence. Given the way he rallied on the flat, that mighthave been decisive.
In between those two horses was Gold Medallist, who ran an honourable race but still failed to match the form of his excellent reappearance run here in the Dipper Chase.
Everything else was beaten a long way. Commemoration Day briefly flattered but soon dropped out, while Sarin made life hard for himself by making mistakes.
Mister Potter never travelled with any fluency and was the firstbeaten.
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