tracked leader, mistake 7th, soon under pressure, lost place 9th, behind when pulled up 3 out
held up mid-division, under pressure halfway, soon beaten
led, under pressure 6th, soon headed, weakened 4 out
held up mid-division, behind from halfway
tracked leaders, led after 6th, headed approaching 4 out, no extra
held up, headway 4 out, chased leaders next, led approaching 2 out, clear approaching last, kept on well
held up towards rear, under pressure half way, never on terms
behind, headway 5 out, soon chasing leaders, weakened after 3 out
held up mid-division, behind from halfway
COUNT BORIS failed to pull off a gamble over course and distance in November but is given the chance to atone. Captain Smoothy and Not For Diamonds are amongst the dangers. Connections clearly felt that he was well enough handicapped to win a race of this nature and he may have been a shade unfortunate to bump into a progressive rival. He's able to race from the same mark and may find some improvement for the fitting of blinkers. Captain Smoothy ran out an impressive winner from Ramvaswani on debut for this yard in testing conditions at Exeter. He's been given ample time to recover from those exertions but does have an 11lb higher mark to contend with. All of Not For Diamonds' wins have come on faster ground than he'll encounter here but he wasn't disgraced under testing conditions last time so enters calculations whilst Estrica may improve for the longer trip but preference is for Count Boris.
Captain Smoothy 16-1 (10-3) Held up, good headway to chase leaders halfway, led approaching 3 out, driven out, won at Exeter 2m 5f 4yo Am hcp 0-100 (4) sft in Dec beating Ramvaswani (10-9) by 4l, 18 ran.
Not For Diamonds (IRE) 33-1 (10-7) Prominent, chased winner after 3 out, no impression from 2 out, 2nd of 18, 14l behind Rebeccas Choice (11-1) at Warwick 3m 1f hcp hdl 0-105 (4) sft in Dec.
Ramvaswani (IRE) 15-2 (10-12) Chased leader, led approaching 5th, hit and headed 7th, led briefly before next, weakened approaching 3 out, 9th of 18, well behind Rebeccas Choice (11-1) at Warwick 3m 1f hcp hdl 0-105 (4) sft in Dec.
Pomander (IRE) 16-1 (11-6) Chased leaders, ridden and weakened 8th, mistake next, tailed off, 6th of 11, 47l behind Gallileo Figaro (11-5) at Plumpton 2m 5f mrs hcp hdl (0-105) (4) sft in Feb.
Count Boris 5-2fav (11-10) In touch, driven to challenge after 3 out, soon ridden and outpaced, no chance with winner, 2nd of 11, 15l behind Petroglyph (11-2) at Fakenham 2m 7f hcp hdl 0-95 (5) gs in Nov.
Vivarini 25-1 (10-12) Tracked leaders, effort to lead before 3 out, ridden and headed before next, soon weakened, 3rd of 11, 45l behind Petroglyph (11-2) at Fakenham 2m 7f hcp hdl 0-95 (5) gs in Nov.
Estrica (IRE) 12-1 (9-9) Behind, headway approaching 3 out, challenged on inside and chance 3 out, ridden approaching 2 out, hung left approaching last, weakened flat, 7th of 13, 7l behind Ballabrook (10-9) at Ludlow 2m 5f am nov hcp hdl 0-105 (4) sft in Dec.
Keepholdin (IRE) 66-1 (10-4) Held up in rear, not fluent 6th, still last at 3 out, plugged on but no chance, 5th of 12, 31l behind Raise You Five (11-2) at Fontwell 2m 6f nov hcp hdl 0-95 (5) hvy in Nov.
Iloveturtle (IRE) 14-1 (9-7) Behind, struggling 13th, tailed off when pulled up before 4 out, in a race won by Ya I Know (11-9) at Market Rasen 3m 5f hcp chs 0-95 (5) hvy in Nov, 7 ran.
