chased leaders, blundered 4 out, soon ridden, went 4th flat, stayed on, edged right near finish
slowly into stride, soon chasing leaders, led after 11th, not fluent and bumped 4 out, headed after 3 out, weakened flat
held up towards rear, behind 14th, pulled up before 15th
led until before 3rd, stayed handy, bumped 4 out, led after next, mistake and headed last, lost 2nd close home
mid-division on outside, closed 3rd, led before next, headed after 11th, soon lost place and pulled up
held up in rear, not fluent 2nd, mistake 5th, behind 13th, pulled up before 4 out
chased leaders, mistake 13th, ridden after 4 out, no extra flat
held up in mid-division, headway from 14th, challenged 2 out, led when jumped left and not fluent last, ridden out
held up in rear, well behind 15th, pulled up before 4 out
held up in rear, headway 13th, mistake 3 out, stayed on flat, went 2nd close home
prominent, led before 3rd, headed approaching next, lost place before 13th, soon behind, pulled up after 15th
Crixus's Escape won easily when last seen at Kelso in March but will have stamina to prove over this trip. GOLDEN SOVEREIGN, on the other hand, stayed on strongly to score over 3m2f over hurdles at Warwick in January. He was making giant strides over the smaller obstacles around the turn of the year and has a chasing pedigree. Ofalltheginjoints has won between the flags and was a decent novice hurdler. He’s another who should thrive over fences with the step up in distance also likely to suit. One Touch’s run at Warwick in February can be ignored and he has been given plenty of time to recover and none of the others can be written off in a potentially-informative contest.
Rapper 16-1 (10-10) Tracked leaders, challenged after 3 out, led 2 out, headed before last, weakened flat, 7th of 24, 17 1/4l behind Sire Du Berlais (11-12) at Cheltenham 3m hcp (1) sft in Mar.
Ocean Cove (IRE) 33-1 (11-6) Tracked leaders, blundered 13th, hampered 16th, lost place 18th, weakened after 4 out, tailed off when pulled up before 2 out, at Cheltenham 3m 6f (1) sft in Mar.
Crixus's Escape (IRE) 13-8fav (11-0) Held up tracking leaders, went 2nd 8th, led going well before 2 out, went clear between last 2, easily, won at Kelso 2m 6f hcp (3) hvy in Mar beating Pougne Bobbi (11-9) by 22l, 5 ran.
Ofalltheginjoints (IRE) 7-4fav (11-6) Chased leaders, tracked leader 2nd, led after 6th, headed 2 out, soon lost 2nd, weakened before last, 4th of 12, 15 1/2l behind Perfect Harmony (11-0) at Kempton 2m 5f (4) gs in Feb.
One Touch (IRE) 11-4fav (11-10) Led, not fluent 4th or 5th, headed before 3 out, stopped quickly and pulled up before 2 out, at Warwick 2m 5f (4) gs in Feb.
Diomede Des Mottes (FR) 10-3 (11-0) Held up, not fluent 11th, mistake 13th, not fluent 4 out, disputing close 3rd before 2 out, 4th and held flat, 4th of 5, 3 1/2l behind The Butcher Said (11-6) at Bangor-on-Dee 3m (3) gd in Sep.
Jammy George (IRE) 11-4 (11-0) Held up in touch, not fluent 6th and 7th, went 2nd 12th, jumped left 13th and 14th, pushed along to lead last, ridden and headed close home, 2nd of 5, 1/2l behind Theligny (11-0) at Ffos Las 3m (4) hvy in Jan.
Acey Milan (IRE) 5-2fav (11-5) Chased leaders, went 2nd before 3rd, every chance 3 out, soon ridden, weakened next, 8th of 9, 32l behind One For The Team (11-4) at Newbury 3m hcp (2) gd in Feb.
Golden Sovereign (IRE) 11-4 (11-7) Prominent, led before 8th, ridden and stayed on stoutly flat, won at Warwick 3m 2f hcp (3) sft in Jan beating Flowing Cadenza (10-3) by 1 1/4l, 6 ran.
Smackwater Jack (IRE) 7-1 (11-12) Held up off the pace in mid-division, headway chasing leaders 5th, pushed along in 3rd after 3 out, weakened before next, mistake last, 5th of 11, 26 1/4l behind Earth Moor (11-8) at Wincanton 2m 5f hcp (3) sft in Mar.
Reve 4-1 (11-13) Led to 3 out, soon driven and lost place, weakened next, 4th of 5, 31 3/4l behind Teescomponents Lad (11-12) at Catterick 3m 1f hcp (3) sft in Jan.
