held up, effort approaching 3 out, outpaced next, no impression approaching last
in rear, not fluent 8th and next, struggling 10th, soon lost touch, no danger after
chased winner to before 3 out, outpaced next, beaten when not fluent last
made all, hit 11th, stayed on well readily
close up, chased winner before 3 out, ridden between last 2, soon no impression, lost 2nd flat
held up in touch, outpaced 4 out, rallied 2 out, stayed to go 2nd flat, no impression
Aston Lad looks the pick of Micky Hammond's two runners ahead of Calfraz and he has to be respected but has yet to translate hurdles form to fences and looks best watched in a race taken to go to HOCKENHEIM, who gets the verdict ahead of Pass The Class. Sue Smith's gelding has fallen in two of his last three starts so he is sure to have been well schooled since then and with the yard's runners in good from, he cannot be ruled out. Marlborough Sound won a selling hurdle at Towcester well enough when last seen in November but this is not easy for him on his chasing debut. Indy Mood gave no sign of encouragement on his first start over fences at Carlisle recently, while Flemen Loon needs to improve on all known form to trouble the judge. The vote then goes to Howard Johnson's Hockenheim, who was the pick of these over hurdles and has shown enough over fences to suggest that he should be too good for his rivals today.
Aston Lad 12-1 (11-6) Held up, outpaced 5 out, 4th and beaten when blundered and unseated rider at the last in race won by Corlande (11-12) at Ayr 2m 4f hcp chs 0-125 (3) hvy, 5 ran.
Calfraz 20-1 (10-9) Always behind, 12th of 14, well behind Lie Forrit (11-7) at Ayr 2m 5f hcp hdl 0-115 (4) sft in Feb.
Flemen Loon (IRE) 16-1 (9-12) Mid-division, headway after 8th, weakened 14th, 9th of 16, 43l behind Ballyvaden (11-3) at Leicester 2m 7f hcp chs 0-105 (4) gd in Feb.
Hockenheim (FR) 13-2 (11-0) Chased leaders, blundered 5 out, soon ridden, soon weakened, 4th of 12, 17l behind Hopkins (11-0) at Doncaster 3m beg chs (4) gs in Feb.
Indy Mood 28-1 (10-7) Held up, pushed along 5th, lost place from 8th, no impression after, 4th of 7, 26l behind La Pantera Rosa (11-0) at Carlisle 2m 5f beg chs (4) hvy.
Pass The Class (IRE) 9-2 (11-6) Tracked leaders and fell at the 2nd in race won by It's Like That (11-6) at Market Rasen 2m 6f hcp chs 0-110 (4) sft, 8 ran.
Marlborough Sound 12-1 (10-12) Held up towards rear, headway when mistake 3 out, went 2nd 2 out, led last, driven out, won at Towcester 2m sll hdl (5) gs in Nov beating Liberty Seeker (10-12) by 1 1/2l, 11 ran.
