in rear when blundered and unseated rider 1st
mid-division, under pressure 5 out, soon weakened, behind when pulled up after 2 out
held up towards rear, headway 3 out, chased leaders after next, never on terms
prominent, led 3rd, soon headed, mistake 12th, lost place 5 out, behind when pulled up after 3 out
led 2nd, headed next, remained prominent, mistakes 7th and 11th, under pressure in 3rd 2 out, weakened before last
mid-division, headway 14th, chased leaders 4 out, driven next, every chance before 2 out, kept on same pace last
mid-division, under pressure 15th, stayed on approaching 2 out, never able to challenge
held up in rear, blundered 4th, headway after halfway, mistakes 4 out and 3 out, every chance last, led closing stages, stayed on strongly
keen, led until 2nd, led again 12th, strongly challenged 2 out, headed after last, kept on gamely under pressure
in rear, jumped left throughout, soon detached, tailed off halfway, pulled up before 14th
Rathlin Rose bids for back-to-back victories in this racing off a pound lower mark but he’s not been in the same form this season. David Pipe may have a better chance with Van Gogh Du Granit, a fair third over a longer trip at Taunton on his first run for the yard. Josses Hill’s last win came in a Grade 2 but that was at the end of 2016 and he’s never convinced over 3m. Bigbadjohn is impossible to predict but, like Loose Chips, is a previous course and distance winner. JUNCTION FOURTEEN was second in one of these at Doncaster and, if he doesn’t get involved in a battle for the lead, could go one better here.
Josses Hill (IRE) 5-1 (11-12) Never that fluent, led until 9th, chased winner, every chance when fell 14th, at Kempton 3m hcp (2) gd in Jan.
Exitas (IRE) 14-1 (11-9) Chased leaders, pushed along after 3 out, ridden and weakened before next, 8th of 16, 29 3/4l behind Worthy Farm (11-10) at Ascot 3m hcp (3) gs in Feb.
Bigbadjohn (IRE) 7-1 (11-5) Mid-division, weakened 13th, tailed off and pulled up before 4 out, at Wincanton 3m 1f hcp lst (1) gd in Nov.
Loose Chips 20-1 (11-12) Led until after 1st, chased leader, led again after 8th until 14th, reminder before 17th, lost 2nd 4 out, tried to rally in 4th before 2 out, ridden and weakened between last, 5th of 11, 14 1/4l behind Commodore (10-13) at Sandown 3m hcp (3) sft in Mar.
Junction Fourteen (IRE) 7-1 (11-3) Led, headed before 2 out, kept on and always held, 2nd of 6, 2 1/2l behind Looking Well (11-4) at Doncaster 3m hcp (2) gd in Feb.
Regal Flow 22-1 (10-9) Mid-division, headway 5th, not fluent 11th, challenged 14th until 16th, 6th and beaten 4 out, weakened from 3 out, pulled up before last, at Uttoxeter 4m 2f hcp lst (1) hvy in Mar.
Uhlan Bute (FR) 50-1 (11-1) Mid-division, blundered 7th, pushed along after 15th, behind from 4 out, 16th of 23, dist behind Any Second Now (11-11) at Cheltenham 3m 2f hcp (2) gs in Mar.
Rathlin Rose (IRE) 13-2 (12-10) Never travelled or jumped with any fluency, mistakes 6th and next, closer on outside 16th, mistake 17th, no chance after, 7th of 13, 29 1/4l behind Le Reve (12-5) at Sandown 3m (3) sft in Mar.
Van Gogh Du Granit (FR) 4-1 (11-5) Led until 5th, led again 7th, not fluent 10th, bumped 13th, headed after 4 out, well held before next, no extra in 3rd run-in, 3rd of 5, 6l behind Like The Sound (11-10) at Taunton 3m 4f hcp (3) sft in Mar.
Horatio Hornblower (IRE) 11-2 (10-8) Chased leaders, ridden and no impression in 3rd between last 2, 3rd of 11, 5 1/2l behind Commodore (10-13) at Sandown 3m hcp (3) sft in Mar.
