in touch, ridden approaching 3 out, soon weakened
held up, headway 8th, ridden and outpaced approaching 3 out, stayed on from next
chased leaders, lost place 8th, tailed off and pulled up before 3 out
prominent until lost place 8th, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out
held up mid-division, hit 8th, headway 9th, ridden 3 out, weakened from 2 out
tracked leaders, ridden and weakened quickly approaching 3 out, behind when pulled up before 2 out
held up, headway 9th, led 2 out, soon ridden, clear last
mid-division, reminders and lost place after 2nd, tailed off from 4th, pulled up after 7th
in rear when fell 5th
led after 1st, headed 8th, soon lost place, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out
mid-division, reminders and pushed along 7th, lost place 8th, tailed off and pulled up before 3 out
led until after 1st, tracked leader, lost place approaching 8th, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out
held up in touch, headway 4th, ridden and weakened 3 out
always behind, tailed off when pulled up after 8th
held up in touch, led 8th, jumped right and headed 2 out, one pace
tracked leaders, ridden approaching 3 out, no impression from next
held up, weakened from 8th, tailed off
held up, headway 9th, ridden approaching 3 out, weakened next
chased leaders, ridden and weakened 3 out
mid-division, behind from halfway, hit 6th, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out
always towards rear, tailed off when pulled up before last
Nonrunner
There are plenty in with chances in a wide open, handicap hurdle, but the major players look to be, Refinement, Be Be King and Spectrometer and our selection is Refinement. She ended her losing streak when third in the Royal And SunAlliance Hurdle last month but it was possibly her best performance so far. She stayed on up the hill and was eight lengths behind Nicanor. She returns to handicap-company and is only 1lb higher for that run. She is tried over this distance for the first time but she has always looked a potential stayer and could be very well in at the weights. Be Be King was pulled up when sent off favourite for a big Sandown handicap hurdle recently. That was on good ground. He had previously won a soft ground Warwick hurdle and there is the suspicion that he needs some cut in the ground. If the rain arrives he could be a big danger to our selection. Spectrometer has not looked a natural over fences and has struggled. However, he won a handicap chase at Wincanton in February and looked to be coming back to his best. The Ian Williams-trained nine-year-old was top-class over hurdles and if he can recapture his old form he has a chance here. The Alan King-trained Mughas does not know how to run a bad race and is of interest at this longer trip. A day may come when the handicapper lets him win a race again but it's unlikely to be today and others are preferred, amongst those is our selection Refinement.
Mistanoora 100-1 (11-10) Always behind, tailed off, 17th of 20, well behind My Way de Solzen (11-10) at Cheltenham 3m hdl Grd 1 (1) gd in Mar.
Mughas (IRE) 16-1 (11-10) Chased leaders, ridden approaching 3 out, one pace from 2 out, 8th of 30, 11l behind Sky's The Limit (11-12) at Cheltenham 2m 5f hcp hdl Grd 3 (1) gd in Mar.
Pole Star 33-1 (11-6) Held up towards rear, blundered 2nd, ridden and headway approaching 2 out, no further progress, 14th of 30, 21l behind Sky's The Limit (11-12) at Cheltenham 2m 5f hcp hdl Grd 3 (1) gd in Mar.
Valley Ride (IRE) 66-1 (11-6) Held up, headway 2 out, never near leaders, 9th of 30, 13l behind Sky's The Limit (11-12) at Cheltenham 2m 5f hcp hdl Grd 3 (1) gd in Mar.
Be Be King (IRE) 9-4fav (11-0) Prominent in chasing group, hit 5th, under pressure 7th, soon behind, tailed off when pulled up 2 out in race won by Ungaro (10-8) at Sandown 2m 6f hcp hdl Grd 3 (1) gd in Feb, 18 ran.
Dead Sound (IRE) 5-1 (11-3) Settled 4th, 3rd 5 out, mistake and lost place next, soon ridden and no impression, 8th when eased after 3 out, 7th of 13, 45l behind Gazza's Girl (9-11) at Fairyhouse 3m nov hcp hdl sft in Feb.
Refinement (IRE) 11-2 (11-0) Held up, headway 8th, ridden 3 out, stayed on flat, 3rd of 17, 9l behind Nicanor (11-7) at Cheltenham 2m 5f nov hdl Grd 1 (1) gd in Mar.
Hordago (IRE) 10-1 (10-2) Held up towards rear, headway approaching 9th, not much room on bend after 3 out, went 2nd last, stayed on flat, 2nd of 24, 1 1/2l behind Kadoun (11-7) at Cheltenham 3m lst hcp hdl (1) gd in Mar.
Alikat (IRE) 40-1 (11-0) Took keen hold, held up towards rear, mistake 6th, headway approaching last, kept on well flat, nearest finish, 7th of 24, 11l behind Kadoun (11-7) at Cheltenham 3m lst hcp hdl (1) gd in Mar.
Fair Question (IRE) 12-1 (10-12) Held up in touch, ridden and weakened after 7th, 17th of 30, 25l behind Sky's The Limit (11-12) at Cheltenham 2m 5f hcp hdl Grd 3 (1) gd in Mar.
Paperprophet 2-1fav (11-10) Held up in touch, hit 3rd, soon pushed along and reminders, hampered and lost place after 5th, weakened 8th, 6th of 7, 34l behind Habitual Dancer (10-7) at Ayr 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-135 (3) sft in Jan.
Habitual Dancer 4-1 (11-8) Made all, pushed clear from 3 out, unchallenged, won at Newcastle 3m hcp hdl 0-125 (3) hvy in Mar beating Pride of Finewood (10-1) by 17l, 9 ran.
Rimsky (IRE) 66-1 (11-7) Behind, headway after 7th, outpaced, not fluent 3 out, stayed on flat, 6th of 17, 16l behind Nicanor (11-7) at Cheltenham 2m 5f nov hdl Grd 1 (1) gd in Mar.
Campaign Trail (IRE) 25-1 (11-0) Chased leaders, every chance 2 out, weakened approaching last, 11th of 24, 16l behind Kadoun (11-7) at Cheltenham 3m lst hcp hdl (1) gd in Mar.
Material World 12-1 (10-9) Chased leaders throughout, outpaced 7th, stayed on from 3 out to chased leader 2 out, led last, kept on, won at Wincanton 2m 6f hcp hdl 0-135 (3) sft in Feb beating Gungadu (11-7) by 2l, 20 ran.
Freetown (IRE) 33-1 (10-9) In touch, going well and every chance approaching 2 out, ridden approaching last, edged left flat, one pace, 5th of 24, 7l behind Kadoun (11-7) at Cheltenham 3m lst hcp hdl (1) gd in Mar.
Liberman (IRE) 20-1 (10-8) Held up towards rear on outside, headway approaching last, kept on well flat, 4th of 24, 6l behind Kadoun (11-7) at Cheltenham 3m lst hcp hdl (1) gd in Mar.
Don Fernando 40-1 (10-2) Held up, mistake 9th, headway approaching 2 out, weakened approaching last, 10th of 24, 15l behind Kadoun (11-7) at Cheltenham 3m lst hcp hdl (1) gd in Mar.
Albany (IRE) 25-1 (10-9) Tracked leaders, led approaching 3 out, soon clear, ran on well, won at Wetherby 2m 7f hcp hdl 0-135 (3) sft in Feb beating Habitual Dancer (11-1) by 8l, 8 ran.
Loup Charter (FR) 12-1 (11-6) Tracked leaders, ridden after 3 out, soon weakened and pulled up at the last in race won by Ile Maurice (10-2) at Bangor 3m hcp hdl 0-135 (3) gs in Mar, 11 ran.
Mythical King (IRE) 18-1 (11-5) Held up, headway approaching 8th, outpaced 3 out, kept on flat, 5th of 13, 14l behind Heir To Be (10-8) at Uttoxeter 2m 6f hcp hdl 0-140 (2) hvy in Mar.
Spectrometer 17-2 (11-6) With leader, hit 8th, lost place 12th, headway 4 out, ridden to lead 3 out, headed 2 out, hit last, kept on and all out to lead line, won at Wincanton 2m 5f hcp chs 0-130 (3) sft in Feb beating Bee An Bee (11-12) by a nk, 7 ran.
