With only six runners in the line-up, this race should be easy to unravel, however; it looks a very intriguing contest with £13,000 available to the winner. Doctor David is a worthy favourite after some admirable efforts during the winter against some of the best two mile chasers in the business but he has to fend off challenges from the talented Salford City and Premier Dane, who hails from the flying Nicky Richards stable.
Doctor David has sound credentials in this small field and likes to race prominently so he should hold every chance if good enough. He needs to put his last run behind him, where he disappointed in a five-runner race at Sandown in February. Saying that, he only finished 10 lengths behind the winner after making a terrible error three fences from home. The winner that day was Gauvain, who has since gone on to beat Paul Nicholls' Chapoturgeon, who won the Jewson Novices' Chase in impressive fashion at the Festival in March. He ran a superb race before that run at Doncaster, finishing second to I'msingingtheblues after travelling well. His best form has come on flat tracks, as shown when he won at Haydock three starts ago. Haydock is a very quick and tight course and Doctor David blitzed round in superb style and had subsequent Arkle second and Aintree Maghull Chase winner Kalahari King toiling in second 17 lengths behind. This fast, quick track at Perth should suit this progressive six-year-old and the good ground will be firmly in his favour. He looks a good thing and Andrew Thornton will produce him with a telling late bid, which should be good enough to see him land the prize.
Salford City is an interesting runner for Irish raider Gordon Elliott, who has had two winners at this course this week already. He made a satisfactory re-appearance last month after a lay-off of seven months, where he blew up turning for home and weakened up the run-in. He should be all the better for it and even though lacking in experience over fences, he has the class to make his presence felt. Last season, he was seen running in top novice company over hurdles and went on to make a successful transition to fences which saw him notch a quick double last summer in good style. It is obvious that his best trip is two miles and the better ground will suit him. He has the services of Barry Geraghty in the saddle and he will aim to be in the main pack throughout. If his jumping holds up and he is fit enough after his absence then there is no reason to believe this classy eight-year-old will not run to his merits.
Premier Dane is an interesting runner for Nicky Richards as he comes here fresh having been given a light campaign. He is very much a top-of-the-ground performer and will relish this test having been given a prep-run at Aintree in April, where he finished way down the field behind Kalahari King and Tatenen. He won over course and distance twice last summer and looks sure to give his running under Davy Condon having got identical conditions again. He does have a lot to find with Doctor David on official ratings but he should be ready to go and has the ability to go close for his in-form yard.
Astarador began the season with an impressive win in a novices' chase at Carlisle in October and looked destined to make waves up in grade but he has struggled since. His last run came in the Jewson at Cheltenham and ran okay but finished a long way behind the winner and this drop back to two miles looks wise. He should adopt his customary front-running role under Denis O'Regan and will attempt to burn all of his rivals off. He is another who will benefit from this better ground as most of his runs this season have come on a softer surface, which may not suit him entirely. He should get an easy lead up front but may become a sitting duck in the latter stages of the contest.
All For The Cause and Athollbrose need to make serious improvement to trouble the afforementioned horses.
Selections: 1st - Doctor David, 2nd - Premier Dane, 3rd - Salford City.
Result: - 1st, Salford City, 7/4 fav, 2nd - Doctor David, 5/2 j2f, 3rd - All For The Cause 16/1.
The well-backed Salford City continued Gordon Elliott's rich vein of form at Perth with a taking victory. Barry Geraghty sent his mount to the front on the final circuit after Astarador weakened and this high-class performer made little fuss in winning his third race out of four over fences. He made a mistake at the first fence and nearly unseated his rider but after that, he was nursed back into the race and jumped brilliantly before clearing away up the run-in to score by a widening 11 lengths. Doctor David drifted in the betting before the off but looked the only challenger to the winner, however; his jumping let him down on more than one occasion. He brushed through the last two fences up the run-in and lost momentum which allowed Salford City to go clear in the final furlong. All For The Cause ran a nice race in third but in truth it was only because the horses behind ran way below par. Astarador ran a moody race as he was challenged for the lead and jumped poorly on the final circuit. Premier Dane ran no sort of race, his juming was poor from the off and he was under pressure from a long way, something must have been amiss.
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