held up in rear, fell 7th
held up in touch, improved to lead 3 out, soon hung left, not fluent and headed next, mistake last, no impression final 150 yards
tracked leaders, jumped slowly 3rd, pushed along after 7th, challenged 3 out, led next, edged right when clear towards finish
led before 1st, not fluent 5th, headed after next, one pace 2 out, no extra last
held up, in touch after 6th, outpaced before 3 out, soon weakened
led before 1st, prominent, ridden after 7th, soon lost place, weakened before 3 out
prominent until 1st, tracked leaders, not fluent 4th, led after 6th, headed before 3 out, no extra 2 out
Nonrunner
This has an open look about it and the lightly-raced Barkis is certainly worth a second look making his handicap debut. Vic's Last Stand continues to perform with credit while Royal Plaza won over this trip at Warwick before blundering and unseating his rider at Wetherby. BOYHOOD (NAP) gets soft going for the first time over timber and can open his account having split a couple of previous winners when second at Aintree earlier this month. Arty Campbell is starting to slip down the weights but has no form on ground this soft.
Barkis 3-1 (10-12) Tracked leaders, ridden when badly hampered 2 out, rallied to chase winner approaching last and every chance, kept on one pace, 2nd of 4, 1l behind Pilansberg (10-12) at Fakenham 2m 4f (4) gd in Oct.
Indian Brave (IRE) 20-1 (11-1) Held up mid-division, headway before and mistake 3 out, kept on same pace, 4th of 12, 15l behind Black Corton (11-1) at Exeter 2m 1f mdn (5) gd in Apr.
Boyhood (IRE) 6-1 (10-12) Mid-division, closed from 8th, switched right just before last, edged left and stayed on well flat, went 2nd 75 yards out, unable to challenge winner, 2nd of 8, 1 1/4l behind Geordie Des Champs (11-4) at Aintree 2m 4f (4) gs in Nov.
Vic's Last Stand (IRE) 10-3 (11-9) Held up, in touch, headway before 4 out, every chance before last, kept on and no chance with winner, 2nd of 13, 4l behind Earls Fort (10-11) at Sedgefield 2m 4f hcp (4) gd in Oct.
Western Wave (FR) 7-1 (11-9) Tracked leaders, effort 2 out, virtually upsides last, soon ridden, stayed on to lead narrowly closing stages, held on, won at Carlisle 2m 1f hcp (4) gs in Oct beating Bramble Brook (11-11) by nk, 15 ran.
Bollin Ace 11-4 (10-12) Tracked leader, weakened from 3 out, tailed off, 4th of 6, 17 3/4l behind Prime Venture (10-12) at Sedgefield 2m 1f (4) gs in Nov.
Arty Campbell (IRE) 14-1 (10-7) Mid-division, ridden after 3 out, headway into mid-division when hampered last, kept on, never nearer, 7th of 18, 17l behind Wildmoor Boy (10-3) at Cheltenham 2m hcp (3) gd in Nov.
Royal Plaza 8-13fav (11-10) Held up and behind, mistake and unseated rider 3rd, at Wetherby 2m 4f hcp (4) sft in Nov.
