held up, chased leaders 4 out, hard ridden next, stayed on from last
tracked leader, led 4 out, ridden and jumped left last, kept on well
tracked leaders, led 5 out, headed approaching next, one pace from last
in touch, no impression from after 4 out
led, headsed 5 out, weakened from 3 out
held up in rear, headway 6th, stumbled badly 5 out, tailed off when pulled up before last, dismounted
held up towards rear, struggling from 7th
Za Beau's penalty takes him to a mark that looks too high and narrow preference is for ET MAINTENANT ahead of Cantgeton. Lucinda Russell's gelding has had a few homes but he has shown enough in his recent starts to suggest that he can record a win for his new yard. His recent second to Banoge at Carlisle was a fair effort and now dropped 3lbs to a mark of 112, he is taken to record the fourth win of his career on ground that he handles. Hi Dancer has top-weight but he has run well under big burdens in the past and for a moderate horse he has a good strike-rate, albeit not yet over fences. Aztec Prince and Athollbrose have form figures that might be better off in a Penguin advert. At the other end of the form scale is Cantgeton who won tidily nineteen days ago at Kelso. He handles soft ground but he looked out on his feet on that occasion and the race may have taken plenty out of him. Oleat is a course winner and is certainly not to be overlooked on his chasing bow. He is pitched straight into handicap company and may improve for the switch to the bigger obstacles. A competitive heat then, and one that can go to Et Maintenant.
Hi Dancer 28-1 (11-5) Held up, lost place 7th, stayed on to take poor 4th from last, 4th of 9, 39l behind Tell Henry (11-4) at Wetherby 2m 4f nov hcp chs 0-120 (3) gf in Nov.
Et Maintenant (FR) 5-2 (10-12) Held up in touch, in rear from 3rd, chased leaders when not fluent 2 out, kept on to chase winner flat, 2nd of 5, 4l behind Banoge (10-9) at Carlisle 2m nov chs (4) hvy.
Cantgeton (IRE) 11-4 (11-4) Held up in touch, led 7th, clear 2 out, ridden and tired flat, just held on, won at Kelso 2m 1f hcp chs 0-115 (4) sft in Feb beating Frith (9-8) by a shd, 6 ran.
Oleolat (FR) 10-3 (10-11) Prominent, ridden and outpaced approaching 3 out, 5th of 9, 13l behind Nelson du Ronceray (11-9) at Ayr 2m hcp hdl 0-115 (4) sft in Feb.
Za Beau (IRE) 7-2 (11-0) Always prominent, effort 4 out, led 2 out, soon ridden, kept on under pressure flat, won at Newcastle 2m hcp chs 0-105 (4) gd beating It's Bertie (10-10) by 3l, 7 ran.
Aztec Prince (IRE) 11-1 (11-10) Mid-division, weakened approaching 4 out, 6th and beaten when pulled up 2 out in race won by Thatlldoforme (11-12) at Sedgefield 2m hcp chs 0-90 (5) hvy in Jan, 12 ran.
Athollbrose (USA) 100-1 (11-2) Tracked winner, lost place 12th, soon struggling, behind when pulled up 4 out in race won by Quws Law (11-2) at Ayr 3m 1f beg chs (4) gs in Nov, 6 ran.
