tracked leaders, led 7th, blundered 2 out, eased towards finish
tracked leaders, not fluent 2nd, went right and not fluent 6th, went 2nd after 3 out, not fluent 2 out, one pace
held up in 5th, effort under pressure after 3 out, weakened next
led until 1st, tracked leader until hit 7th, chased winner 2 out, stayed on same pace, no impression
took keen hold in rear, closed approaching 7th, ridden next, weakened 3 out, tailed off
took keen hold, led 1st, mistake 3rd, wandered next, headed 7th, weakened 2 out
Sweet Irony certainly wasn't winning out of turn when beating Rossmore Lad by seven lengths at Warwick last time. He's sure to make a bold bid to follow up under his penalty but ABNAKI is held in some regard and may come out on top on this occasion. Jonjo O'Neill's six-year-old is making his debut under Rules but ran out a cosy winner of an Irish point-to-point in January and is from the same family as smart chaser See More Business. Melteme, another recruit from the point-to-point circuit, could run into a place but the others have little to recommend them.
Sweet Irony (FR) 5-4fav (11-1) Held up in rear, headway on inside from 6th, went 2nd after 3 out, led next, ran on well, comfortably, won at Warwick 2m 5f mdn hdl (4) gd in Mar beating Rossmore Lad (11-1) by 7l, 11 ran.
Abnaki (IRE) 8-1 (12-0) Tr ldrs, 4th 2out, 2nd at last, kow to ld run in, won at Nenagh 3m ire ptp hvy in Jan beating Noble Chic (12-0) by 1l, 19 ran.
Cruising Bye 22-1 (10-11) Held up towards rear, reminders and headway before 6th, weakened 4 out, tailed off, 12th of 15, well behind Another Dimension (10-9) at Huntingdon 2m 4f mdn hdl (4) gs in Mar.
Vitruvian Man 50-1 (11-1) Tracked leaders, pushed along and weakened before 3 out, 11th of 12, well behind Red Merlin (10-7) at Doncaster 2m 4yo nov stks (4) gd in Mar.
Fenella Mere 100-1 (9-12) Tracked leader, wandered approaching 2nd, mistake 5th, lost place 4 out, soon lost touch, tailed off when left 3rd last, 3rd of 4, well behind Vertige Dore (10-12) at Bangor 2m 1f nov hdl (4) gd in Aug.
Tobayornottobay 100-1 (10-2) Held up in rear, headway 7f out, lost place 5f out, well held after, 5th of 9, 23l behind First Rock (11-2) at Musselburgh 2m mdn NH flat (5) gd in Nov.
Melteme (IRE) 8-1 (12-0) (cp) hdwy 13; wknd qckly 15; fell last, in a race won by Pennytino (11-10) at Brafield-on-the-green 3m ptp gd in Mar, 8 ran.