made most, disputed lead early stages, not fluent 1st, led after the 3rd, briefly pressed after 3 out, shaken up when challenged 2 out, ridden and rallied gamely approach to the last, led narrowly last, kept on bravely, held on
towards rear, closer 3 out, headway to track leaders approaching 2 out, mistake when making strong challenge 2 out, ridden after 2 out and no extra
disputed lead early stages, tracked leader after the 3rd, mistake 7th, ridden and disputed lead 2 out, every chance last, no extra run-in
tracked leader, ridden and weakened after 3 out, pulled up before 2 out
towards rear, ridden before 2 out, soon tailed off
mid-division, headway to track leader after 3 out, ridden and weakened after 2 out
towards rear, mistake 5th, ridden 2 out and never a factor
mid-division, headway to track leaders 3 out, not fluent when set to make challenge 2 out, ridden and every chance last, ran on strongly to press leader run-in, held dying strides
NonRunner
It's rare to see a horse trained by Dan Skelton at the bottom of a moderate handicap like this and AHEADFULLOFDREAMS can make the most of a lenient mark. Disqualified after finishing first past over slightly short of this trip at Ayr in October, he will have found 2m3f too short at Warwick on New Year's Eve. Cooking Fat has been here twice and won both including over the trip. He was returning from a very long break when running well for a long way in a better class race at Doncaster in December and has dropped to a winnable mark. Be My Sea's last run in this grade resulted in a victory at Fakenham and a couple of recent runs on the Flat will have put him spot-on while Poppa Poutine found very testing ground against him at Ascot after scoring on this type of going at Southwell. Florrie Knox looked a likely future winner with two good runs in the autumn and lost a shoe when pulling up at Warwick in December.
Poppa Poutine (IRE) 12-1 (12-0) Off the pace in 4th, weakened approaching 3 out, 6th of 12, 33 1/2l behind Morning Spirit (11-10) at Ascot 3m hcp (4) hvy in Dec.
Cooking Fat 18-1 (10-8) Held up in rear, steady headway before 3 out, ridden before 2 out, weakened before last, 4th of 6, 23 3/4l behind Flemcara (11-3) at Doncaster 3m hcp (3) hvy in Dec.
Show Promise 22-1 (11-12) Mid-division, ridden over 2 out, no impression, pulled up, at Southwell 3m hcp (4) sft in Feb.
Blackfinch 7-2 (11-9) Tracked leader, much closer 7th, ridden and weakened after 2 out, 5th of 6, 36 1/4l behind Mr Harp (11-7) at Uttoxeter 2m 7f hcp (4) hvy in Dec.
Steel Wave (IRE) 6-1 (11-9) Tracked leaders, ridden 4 out, soon weakened and pulled up approaching next, at Bangor-on-Dee 2m 4f hcp (4) hvy in Nov.
Skipness 7-1 (11-2) In touch, headway to track leaders 4th, ridden and jumped left 2 out, soon weakened, 6th of 9, 24l behind Democratic Oath (11-2) at Sedgefield 2m 1f (4) hvy in Feb.
Be My Sea (IRE) 9-2 (9-12) Slow into stride switched wide and headway to track winner after 4f, pushed along 3f out, ridden and weakened final furlong, 4th of 5, 6 3/4l behind Bill Cody (9-7) at Southwell 2m 2f hcp (5) pol in Feb.
Aheadfullofdreams (IRE) 9-2 (11-8) Held up towards rear, headway before 5th, ridden and no impression before 2 out, 5th of 15, 12 3/4l behind After The Fox (11-2) at Warwick 2m 3f hcp (5) sft in Dec.
Florrie Knox (IRE) 11-2 (11-10) Led until 6th, not fluent 7th, mistake and jumped right 8th, lost place before 3 out, pulled up before 2 out, at Warwick 3m 2f hcp (4) sft in Dec.
