held up in rear, blundered 9th, hit 13th, chased winner from 5 out without being a danger
chased winner, mistakes 1st and 7th, weakening when hit 13th, left poor 3rd 3 out, fell last
made all, clear from 4 out, unchallenged
3rd until effort 11th, weakening when hit 13th, tailed off when refused 3 out
Nonrunner
Nonrunner
The novice Cinnamon Line is less exposed than most of these but Richard Lee's gelding has yet to prove his effectiveness under such testing conditions and a safer bet looks to be Co Optimist, who is preferred to Mulligatawny. The last mentioned strictly holds Wild Spice on running at Fontwell last time but a 6lb rise for that effort leaves Nick Gifford's gelding with more to do today. The Richard Phillips-trained Gee Aker Malayo sprung a surprise at Folkestone last month but was well held off today's new mark when beaten at Carlisle subsequently and a bigger threat may come from Jim Old's Miss Mailmit, who has shown ability in novice races and may be open to further improvement. Nicky Henderson's Reel Dancer may be better than he has shown so far and is another to consider but the vote goes to Co Optimist. The Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained gelding relished the mud at Lingfield last month and is worth another chance having come up short on a faster surface at Huntingdon subsequently.
Cinnamon Line 11-2 Keen in rear, headway 9th, led 11th, jumped right 14th and headed, led again 3 out, comfortably, won at Chepstow 3m beg chs (E) gd beating Le Jaguar by 2l, 11 ran.
Co Optimist 5-2 Led, headed 2nd, slow 8th, led again 11th, mistake 15th, ridden 4 lengths approaching 2 out, headed soon after last, weakened flat, 4th of 5, 2l behind Kelantan at Huntingdon 3m hcp chs 0-120 (D) sft in Feb.
Miss Mailmit 11-1 Led to 11th, ridden and chased leader 4 out, every chance when mistake 3 out, not quicken, 3rd of 5, 6l behind Tanterari at Taunton 3m hcp chs 0-115 (D) gs in Feb.
Gee Aker Malayo (IRE) 3-1fav Mid-division, outpaced when hit 14th, weakened 3 out, behind when pulled up at the last in race won by Supreme Breeze at Carlisle 3m 2f hcp chs 0-110 (E) gs, 10 ran.
Mulligatawny (IRE) 7-1 Held up in touch, took closer order 13th, led 2 out, stayed on well, pushed out, won at Fontwell 3m 2f hcp chs 0-110 (E) gs beating Sylphide by 3 1/2l, 7 ran.
Wild Spice (IRE) 9-2 Not always fluent, in touch, took closer order 13th, ridden after 16th, beaten 2 out, 3rd of 7, 11l behind Mulligatawny at Fontwell 3m 2f hcp chs 0-110 (E) gs.
Reel Dancer 9-1 Held up in midfield, mistake and ridden 15th, stayed on under pressure from 3 out, hit 2 out, kept on run-in, 3rd of 10, 22l behind Change Agent at Kempton 3m nov hcp chs 0-105 (E) gs.
