His last runner produced a victory when Skycab won a handicap chase on Attheraces Gold Cup day.
To save energy, Jonathan didn't run in the 4x400m relay semi-final but was the last runner in the final on Sunday, in which the Belgian team won bronze.
Last year runner-up Jessica Sanchez was just as talented and deserving as winner Phillip Phillips, the previous season runner-up Lauren Aleana was neck and neck with winner and fellow country signer Scotty McCreery, and in the previous two season, the runner ups, Crystal Bowersox and Adam Lambert, were better than the winners, Lee DeWyze and Kris Allen.
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The emergence of Andre Brown as a capable backup and effective goal-line runner last season also helped make Bradshaw expendable.
Morgan Uceny was the top-ranked 1, 500-meter runner last year, though she'll have her hands full against two strong runners from Ethiopia.
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And last year's runner-up Jamie Cope faces a struggle to reach the last 16 stage after losing 4-2 to Barry Hawkins and 4-1 to Stephen Maguire.
Last year's runner-up, Li Na, beat fellow Chinese player Zheng Jie 6-3, 6-1.
Last year's runner-up, Aliy Zirkle, left Eagle Island with 13 dogs more than three hours later.
Last year's runner, Master of Hounds, was pulled up and did not finish.
And the 25-year-old, last year's runner-up at Roland Garros, ultimately won through 6-0 6-2 6-3 in an hour and a half.
Melzer will face last year's runner-up Milos Raonic on Sunday after the in-form Canadian defeated Germany's Benjamin Becker in straight sets.
Also expected to return for the Christmas special are last year's runner-up Chelsee Healey and newsreaders Natasha Kaplinsky and Chris Hollins.
Seavey's victory came after a dueling sprint against Aliy Zirkle, last year's runner-up, along the frozen, wind-whipped Bering Sea coast toward Nome.
However, last year's runner-up Ryan Day cannot qualify for the semi-finals after a surprise 3-3 draw with Maltese wildcard Alex Borg .
Its entry includes two former world rally champions in Carlos Sainz and Ari Vatanen, as well as last year's runner-up Giniel de Villiers.
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But Mr Lugar is a distance runner (last week he ran in two five-kilometre races) and at 65 is still fit enough to let others dream on his behalf.
In the third round Painter will face last year's runner-up Mark Dudbridge, who looked back to his best with a 4-0 trouncing of qualifier Alan Tabern for the loss of only two legs.
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The world No. 7, last year's runner-up to Amelie Mauresmo, has a first-round bye and will begin her title bid against Iveta Benesova of the Czech Republic or fellow Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, who meet on Tuesday.
Last year's runner-up and second seed Dinara Safina was made to battle for her first win beating Magdalena Rybarikova 6-4 6-4 in 89 minutes, while fellow-Russian and third seed Svetlana Kuznetsova was a straight-sets winner over Anastasia Rodionova 6-1 6-2.
Last season's runner-up Punchestowns has been given an entry although he is expected to continue a career over fences shortly, while Diamond Harry, who proved no match for Big Buck's in last month's Long Walk Hurdle, is set to make his chasing debut at the weekend.
Moscow-born Golovin, the runner-up last year, eventually edged her rival 6-4 7-5 in the 90-minute contest.
Last year, Berhanu finished runner-up to Zersenay Tadesse as the Eritrean lowered his record performance to 59.05.
Andrew Higginson, last year's shock runner-up, rekindled his love affair with Newport by beating Anthony Hamilton 5-2.
Mr Daniels said his former star runner should at last be able to enjoy her achievement in Berlin.
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No. 2 Andy Murray, the champion in 2009 and runner-up last year, beat No. 16 Andreas Seppi 6-2, 6-4.
Howell finished runner-up last year after a sudden-death play-off with Stephen Dodd, who will also be back to defend his title.
Last year's championship runner-up Kimi Raikkonen was even further back in 10th with Jaguar's Mark Webber splitting the two McLarens in ninth.
"You get some respect from your peers when you wear this jersey, " said the 31-year-old, who finished runner-up last year to Albert Contador of Spain.
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Pistorius repeatedly broke down and sobbed during a bail hearing last month, and the runner's uncle, Arnold Pistorius, acknowledged in a statement that his nephew "will never be the same" after killing Steenkamp.
Defending champion Federer meets Australia's Peter Luczak in the first round, but could face his fellow Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka, last-year's runner-up Robin Soderling, Latvia's in-form Ernests Gulbis and Murray en route to the final.
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