held up, steady headway approaching 17th, mistake and stumbled 3 out, ridden next, no extra flat
held up, headway approaching 11th, ridden after 3 out, chased winner approaching last, kept on one pace flat
not fluent 3rd, mistake 6th, weakened approaching 17th, tailed off
led, mistake 9th, headed briefly next, not fluent and headed 3 out, soon ridden and weakened
with leader, led briefly 10th, ridden 4 out, weakened 2 out
in touch, ridden and lost place 12th, weakened 16th, tailed off
held up in touch, steady headway approaching 13th, led 3 out, clear approaching next, jinked right flat, ridden out
held up in touch, blundered and unseated rider 10th
not fluent 16th, mistake and outpaced next, rallied approaching 2 out, stayed on flat
held up towards rear, reminders after 7th, mistake 13th, soon weakened, tailed off
An intriguing contest where there will be plenty of support for the bang-in-form Hours, who has won three in a row, including decent prizes at Newbury and here last time out over course and distance. On both of those occasions, the jumping flaws we occasionally saw from him earlier in his career have failed to materialise and he has looked competent enough at his fences. He has now gone up 28lbs as a result of the hat-trick, and though he does look like he might progress even more, we are going to take him on here on ground which will not be in his favour. Bramblehill Duke would perhaps be the obvious choice to overturn his one and a quarter length defeat here last time on 3lb better terms, given that he will love the cut in the ground and was closing on Hours close home last time. However, he has never won in four previous starts at the track, and even if he does reverse the form he could find one too good in Roberty Bob. Another who will relish the cut underfoot, the seven-year-old looked very progressive last Spring, when landing a hat-trick, often in bottomless ground. He is now 5lb better with Bramblehill Duke for a half-length heavy ground defeat at Bangor in November. He also stays extremely well and despite a hurdles defeat at Ascot last time and that fact that Henry Daly's runners have not perhaps been at their best so far this term, he can score here. Southern Star has gone up 3lb since a moderate run in the Hennessy Gold Cup last month. He often seems to find one too good, as at both Aintree and here in the Spring and he would also prefer faster ground, so is passed over on this occasion. Moor Lane - a one-time favourite for the Grand National - has four successive disappointing efforts to put behind him and despite a penchant for juice in the ground he is best watched for the time being. Finally Historg is one who could give the leading protagonists a bit to think about. By Cyborgo, he loves bottomless ground, gets this trip and is back on a handy mark. With his yard's runners going better in recent weeks he could go very well if he handles the track.
