tracked leader, led before 8th, bumped and headed last, ridden and keeping on same pace and held when slightly short of room on inside run-in, no extra final 100 yards
led until before 8th, chased leader, hit next and reminder, mistake and lost 2nd 12th, rallied into modest 3rd before 5 out, no chance with leading duo
chased leaders, pushed along and struggling before 5 out, well held in 4th when blundered and unseated rider next
in touch, not fluent 8th, outpaced from 10th, struggling and reminders before next, losing touch when pulled up before 5 out
in touch until blundered and unseated rider 5th
held up early, headway on inside tracking leaders 3rd, 2nd 12th, went left and hit 5 out, hung left after, mistake and pecked next, ridden before 2 out, led and went left last, hung left run-in, stayed on well and in command final 100 yards
NO THROUGH ROAD (NAP) scored at Ayr in January when beating subsequent winner Chavoy. Well beaten only a week later, that run may have come too soon and Michael Scudamore's charge has been rested since. Ashes House was still well beaten when third over track and trip last month and has dropped a further 4lb as a consequence while Spirit D'Armor reverts to chasing off a lower mark than when third at Fontwell in November. Candide has been placed in lower grade contests of late and point-to-point winner The Chuckmeister may do better now chasing having shown little over hurdles so far.
Ballybough Pat (IRE) 7-1 (11-0) Led, mistake 8th, headed next, chased leaders, mistake and lost 2nd 16th, chased leading pair until approaching next, poor 4th when pulled up before 3 out, in a race won by Grove Pride (10-9) at Taunton 3m 5f hcp chs 0-140 (3) gs, 7 ran.
Ashes House (IRE) 8-1 (11-6) Jumped right, led until not fluent 4th, led next, headed after 13th, led before 4 out, headed 3 out, no extra last, 3rd of 6, 17l behind Letbeso (11-3) at Chepstow 3m nov hcp chs (0-125) (3) sft in Feb.
No Through Road 9-4fav (11-9) Not always fluent, tracked leading pair until not fluent 7th, handy 4th, not fluent next, left 3rd 10th until mistake 14th, hit next, weakened 4 out, eased, tailed off, 4th of 5, well behind Beeves (11-11) at Newcastle 3m hcp chs 0-120 (4) sft in Jan.
The Chuckmeister (IRE) 7-2 (11-9) Chased leaders, ridden and outpaced after 3 out, plugged on same pace in 4th and no chance with leading trio, 4th of 8, 27l behind Wizards Bridge (11-4) at Taunton 3m hcp hdl 0-120 (4) gs.
Spirit D'armor (FR) 16-1 (11-7) Led, not fluent 2nd or 8th, blundered and headed 2 out, no extra flat, 3rd of 8, 6l behind Belmount (11-12) at Warwick 3m 2f hcp hdl 0-110 (4) hvy.
Candide (IRE) 7-2 (11-9) With leaders, led 5th until 7th, led again before 11th until 14th, chased winner until lost 2nd and bumped 4 out, chased leading pair, ridden before 2 out, weakened into poor 4th run-in, 4th of 13, 13l behind Midnight Request (11-4) at Exeter 3m 5yo nov hcp (4) gs.
