tracked leaders, jumped left 3rd, went 2nd from 7th until 2 out, weakened last
not always fluent, last pair, ridden 9th, went 3rd next, outpaced before 3 out, rallied and went 2nd 2 out, led briefly flat, held close home
jumped left and not much room 1st, last pair, lost touch before 7th, behind next, tailed off
led, headed when jumped left 3rd, not fluent 8th or 9th, weakened from 4 out, tailed off
with leader, led 3rd, clear 3 out until last, headed briefly flat, pulled out more, in command close home, game effort
Grove Silver is inconsistent but won this comfortably a year ago and he's 7lb lower. CARALINE (NAP) invariably races at a higher level than this. His victory at Wetherby on Boxing Day suggests he won't be far away despite an 8lb higher mark. Whitsundays, a winner at Kelso in January, didn't perform as well from 7lb higher at Newcastle but Major Hindrance has been going well in the prevailing conditions though he looked a bit high in the weights at Uttoxeter. Never Up didn't stay 3m1f at Cartmel and is better judged on earlier efforts at this sort of trip.
Caraline (FR) 5-1 (10-7) Led, not fluent and headed last, kept on and held towards finish, 2nd of 7, 1 1/4l behind Dresden (11-12) at Wetherby 1m 7f hcp (3) hvy in Feb.
Major Hindrance (IRE) 9-4fav (11-12) Tracked leaders, lost place before 3rd, ridden 5th, headway after next, not fluent 8th, struggling next, behind when mistake 4 out, rallied after 2 out, went 3rd last, no impression, 3rd of 8, 11 1/2l behind Granville Island (11-5) at Uttoxeter 2m 4f hcp (4) hvy in Jan.
Whitsundays (IRE) 11-4 (12-4) Tracked leaders, ridden after 5 out, soon lost place, 5th of 6, 6 1/2l behind Charlie Snow Angel (10-11) at Newcastle 2m hcp (4) sft in Jan.
Never Up (GER) 9-1 (11-3) Led until went badly left and headed 10th, weakened before next, tailed off 3 out, pulled up before last, at Carlisle 3m hcp (3) hvy in Feb.
Grove Silver (IRE) 9-2 (11-13) Mid-division, slow 10th, modest 5th 4 out, soon weakened, went 4th 3 out, 4th of 8, dist behind Ceann Sibheal (10-13) at Uttoxeter 3m hcp (4) hvy in Feb.