made all, not fluent 15th or 4 out, drew clear after 3 out, ridden out flat, unchallenged
not fluent 1st, soon lost touch, tailed off from 6th
not fluent, tracked winner until mistake 3rd (water), raced in 3rd after, mistake 11th, lost touch from 16th, blundered 3 out
tracked winner from 3rd, mistake 3 out, soon beaten
With Mark The Book completely out of sorts just lately, unless there is a sudden resurgence in form, this can go to JUST AMAZING, with Heez A Steel next best. The selection loves spring ground together with this sort of trip, and won here quite comfortably last October. He has to give weight away all around but is rated much higher over the others than the 3lbs he gives away, so with a clear round he will be very hard to beat. Mark The Book has done all of his winning on heavy ground, and runs best at Chepstow. He has plenty to prove as a result, especially given his failure to complete on his last two starts. Heez A Steel stays and goes on the ground, but he has plenty to find at the weights despite his winning chase debut at Kelso. He may be good enough to be chase home the selection, but the clear pick is Just Amazing.
Just Amazing (IRE) 6-1fav (10-13) Close up on inside, ridden after 3 out, one pace approaching 2 out, no extra flat, 6th of 16, 10l behind The Last Derby (10-3) at Ascot 3m listed hcp chs (1) gd in Oct.
Commanche Dream 14-1 (11-0) Chased leaders, not fluent 4th, went 2nd 7th until 9th, lost place when blundered 12th, pulled up before 14th, in a race won by Paddy's Tern (10-8) at Towcester 3m hcp ch 0-110 (4) sft in Mar, 7 ran.
Heez A Steel (IRE) 3-1 (10-5) Tracked leader, led 8th, headed narrowly after 5 out, led next, clear approaching last, won at Carlisle 2m 4f nov chs (3) hvy beating Mr Woods (11-4) by 11l, 5 ran.
Mark The Book (IRE) 16-1 (10-5) Tracked leaders, challenged 10th, weakened after 20th, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out, in a race won by Synchronised (11-5) at Uttoxeter 4m 1f list hcp ch (1) hvy in Mar, 17 ran.
