in touch, ridden and lost place 8th, behind when pulled up approaching last
held up, ridden and headway to go 6th at 12th, one pace from 3 out
in touch, ridden 8th, weakened soon after 11th
close up, blundered 10th, ridden 12th, one pace from 3 out
always prominent, joined leader 12th, soon led, ridden 2 out, stayed on
alwasy in rear, reminders 5th
held up mid-division, headway appraoching 12th, ridden to chase winner 3 out, stayed on, not pace to challenge
in rear, ridden 5th, kept on, never nearer
keen, raced wide mid-division, ridden and lost place 5th, fell 7th
led, ridden 11th, headed soon after 12th, weakened 3 out
always behind, pulled up 12th
held up, headway 9th, ridden 12th, weakened 3 out, remote 6th when fell last
pulled hard in rear, blundered 10th, always behind
Magic Route has a 7lb penalty to carry for his win at Wetherby last month but he was good value for that success and is taken to follow up here with the main threats looking to be Brigadier du Bois and Spider Boy. The last mentioned has slipped back to a fair mark but the 10-year-old remains a maiden so is hard to recommend and may be best watched. Reflex Blue has given little real sign of encouragement in two starts last month, while Mountsorrel is proving as hard to win with at the winter game as he was on the flat. Brigadier du Bois does at least have winning form but may prefer a softer surface and a safer bet looks to be Magic Route, who gets the vote.
Magic Route (IRE) 7-1 (9-13) Chased leaders, led after 5 out, ridden next, kept on, won at Wetherby 2m 4f hcp chs 0-100 (4) gf in Apr beating Perfect Punch (10-10) by 3l, 9 ran.
Brigadier du Bois (FR) 7-2fav (11-7) Prominent, ridden 10th, weakened 11th, behind when pulled up 3 out in race won by Mighty Moose (10-11) at Fontwell 2m 4f hcp chs (5) sft in Jan, 14 ran.
Tipp Top (IRE) 8-1 (10-8) Chased leader, led 6th to 9th, ridden 12th, soon lost place, behind from 14th, tailed off when pulled up before 2 out pulled up 2 out in race won by Metal Detector (11-10) at Towcester 3m hcp chs 0-100 (4) gf in Apr, 7 ran.
Spider Boy 5-1 (9-11) Chased winner until fell at the 3rd in race won by Day Du Roy (10-8) at Fakenham 2m 5f hcp chs 0-110 (4) gd in Apr, 6 ran.
Reflex Blue 15-2 (9-7) Always in the rear, 10th of 12, 39l behind Swings 'n Strings (10-7) at Chepstow 3m sll hcp chs 0-95 (5) gd in Apr.
Tudor Oak (IRE) 14-1 (10-0) Mid-division, lost place 7th, soon behind, 5th of 16, well behind Chukchi Country (11-1) at Sedgefield 2m hcp chs (5) gf in Apr.
Balla d'Aire (IRE) 25-1 (9-9) Soon led, headed approaching 2nd, in touch until lost place 6th, struggling 11th, behind when pulled up 4 out in race won by Reverse Swing (10-3) at Fakenham 2m 5f hcp chs 0-100 (F) gd in Oct '05, 11 ran.
Mountsorrel (IRE) 20-1 (10-0) Tracked leaders, hampered 9th, weakened approaching 14th, behind when pulled up 4 out in race won by Joris De Vonnas (10-12) at Chepstow 3m hcp chs 0-90 (5) gd in Apr, 15 ran.
