held up, mistake 1st, tailed off after 4th, pulled up before 3 out
held up mid-division, outpaced 5th, stayed on from last, took 3rd post, no impression
tracked winner, weakened after 6th
made all, clear approaching last, pushed out
held up in rear and keen, mistake 5th, some headway, ridden approaching 2 out, one pace and no impression after
behind from 5th, tailed off and pulled up before 2 out
held up in touch, ridden and lost place after 4th, tailed off and pulled up before 2 out
prominent, ridden 3 out, soon weakened, in 3rd and beaten when blundered last
tracked leaders, pushed along approaching 3rd, reminders approaching next, weakened after 6th
held up towards rear, weakened from 4th, tailed off and pulled up before 2 out
tracked leaders, chased winner from 4 out, ridden and no impression from 2 out
Vocative, Mezereon, Cullian and Proprioception are all fancied in the opening claiming hurdle but our preference is Proprioception. She appeared not to stay the trip last time out at Hereford but had previously won a mare's handicap hurdle at Southwell in January. Alan King has his horses running well at the moment and this four-year-old filly should prove too good. Of her challengers Cullian was sharpened up by cheek-pieces last time and ran away with a seller at Towecster. She had not shown much in races prior to that but she should go close again under Andrew Thornton. Mezereon has a long lay-off to overcome but she had some good form as a juvenile. Vocative should run a good race under a featherweight. She won a novices' hurdle in the soft at Haydock in November last year and a repeat of that run would see her involved in the finish. However she has not shown much since and our selection remains Proprioception.
Cullian 9-4jt-fav (10-8) Held up, headway 6th, led approaching 2 out, clear approaching last, easily, won at Towcester 2m 3f sll hdl (5) gd beating Watermouse (11-1) by 9l, 10 ran.
Losing Grip (IRE) 25-1 (11-1) Led to 2nd, headed 4th, weakened 7th, tailed off, 12th of 14, well behind Jontys'lass (10-12) at Carlisle 2m 4f mrs nov hdl (4) sft in Feb.
Mezereon 100-1 (10-7) Led to 4th, ridden 6th, soon weakened, 16th of 18, 44l behind Al Eile (11-0) at Aintree 2m nov hdl Grd 2 (A) gd in Apr '04.
So Cloudy 20-1 (10-0) Behind, headway after 6th, ridden when mistake 2 out, stayed on same pace, 3rd of 16, 2l behind Barella (11-0) at Ludlow 2m sll hcp hdl 0-95 (5) gd in Jan.
Faraway Echo 16-1 (10-1) Mid-division, outpaced 3 out, soon weakened, 9th of 13, 41l behind West Hill (10-4) at Sedgefield 2m 1f nov hcp hdl 0-90 (5) sft in Feb.
Smilingvalentine (IRE) 50-1 (11-2) Held up and raced wide, hit 5th, headway approaching 7th, every chance after 3 out, soon ridden, weakened 2 out, 7th of 11, 24l behind Be My Destiny (11-12) at Warwick 2m 5f hcp hdl 0-110 (4) hvy.
Proprioception (IRE) 11-2 (10-5) In touch, headway 4th, pushed along 3 out, hard ridden 2 out, weakened approaching last, 2nd of 16, 14l behind Abraham Smith (10-11) at Hereford 2m 3f hcp hdl 0-110 (4) gd.
Vocative (GER) 6-1 (10-8) Always behind, weakened from 7th, 4th of 6, well behind Kirkside Pleasure (11-10) at Ayr 3m nov hcp hdl 0-110 (4) sft.
