Expert Analysis

Another early season grade two contest with little strength in depth beyond the first two to finish. The favourite ran no race leaving the winner to come home a length in front of Pic D’Orhy who will almost certainly revert to races over an intermediate trip after today. The fact that neither of the front two horses are said to be heading for the King George supports the notion that this was at best a decent enough grade two contest without being top class.

DJELO Charlie Deutsch appeared to be fairly confident all the way up the home straight. I have marked him up on his one-length winning margin and I think he would have won a shade more cosily but for his mistake at the final fence. Paul Nicholls stated that the runner up would not be going for the King George which suggests that he does not think this form is good enough. Djelo won the Peterborough so impressively last season that one can fully understand why his trainer nominated the 2025 version of that race as his next target.

PIC D’ORHY I was a little surprised how fast Harry Cobden was prepared to go on a horse with stamina to prove. I suppose one could argue that he was proved correct as his horse ran an excellent race only going down to an improving sort. He led for a lot of the race and the ground was pretty quick; on balance, however, I would tend away from him if trying this sort of trip again on a more taxing surface in a race with a potentially busier lead. His trainer stated his campaign until February will be focused on races over an intermediate trip which is no surprise.

GA LAW He finished a long way behind the front two and nothing that ran much of a race finished behind him.

HEWICK A return to the smaller obstacles was mentioned after this very disappointing display. He was strongly backed down to 2/1 favourite beforehand but never looked in danger of justifying such support.

THE REAL WHACKER He struggled to keep tabs on Pic D’Orhy when that one took up the running from the seventh fence. He then paid for staying close to the strong gallop by tiring quickly in the home straight. He was overtaken by two horses that played little part in the first three quarters of this contest so can probably be marked up on his finishing position.