held up, smooth headway from 7th, led 3 out, found little under pressure run-in, headed towards finish
chased leaders until ridden and weakened 3 out
chased leaders, ridden and outpaced from 3 out
led, hit 4th, ridden and headed 3 out, weakened rapidly, pulled up before 2 out
chased leaders, ridden after 6th, soon weakened, tailed off and pulled up before 2 out
held up, moderate headway after 3 out
held up, smooth headway from 7th, chased winner from 3 out, hit 2 out and last, driven ahead near finish, won going away
chased leader, hit 4 out, dropped to 3rd 3 out, soon one pace, no chance with front pair when edged left run-in
Prime Contender is the best horse in the line-up and Gary Moore's gelding gets the vote ahead of potential fly-in-ointment Highland Games. The selection has bags in hand on official ratings with most of the field, and comes here on the back of a decent second to the classy Pepperoni Pete. They were some way clear of the third horse home and assuming that the ground doesn't deteriorate too much, then he should prove hard to beat. Highland Games has shown nothing in three recent starts, and is obviously nowhere near as good as he was. However the drop in class today may make life easier, although to back him you would have to be very trusting. Cusp disappointed when last seen but there may have been a reason for that, although the application of first-time blinkers doesn't exactly instil confidence. At a price Sonnengold could hit the frame off his light racing weight, however it is Prime Contender who is taken to oblige.
Prime Contender 3-1 (12-0) Took keen hold, tracked leaders, narrow lead 3 out, headed last, not quicken flat, 2nd of 16, 2l behind Pepporoni Pete (11-10) at Ludlow 2m clm hdl (4) gd in Apr.
Cusp 16-1 (10-6) Mid-division, headway approaching 9th, hit 11th, weakened 12th, tailed off when pulled up at the last in race won by Casalani (10-1) at Uttoxeter 2m 6f clm chs (3) sft in Apr, 12 ran.
Harcourt (USA) 25-1 (11-2) Mid-division, weakened 5th, 8th of 17, 24l behind Kerriemuir Lass (11-4) at Towcester 2m hcp hdl 0-110 (4) gs in Apr.
Bold Trump 25-1 (11-5) Mid-division until weakened after 3rd, tailed off, 13th of 15, well behind Mungo Jerry (11-5) at Exeter 2m 1f hcp hdl 0-95 (5) gs in Jan.
Dauphin Des Carres (FR) 25-1 (11-3) Held up, ridden 8th, weakening when refused in race won by Najca De Thaix (10-11) at Plumpton 2m 1f hcp chs 0-110 (4) sft in Mar, 7 ran.
Night Groove (IRE) 16-1 (11-7) Behind, ridden, struggling from 5th, tailed off when pulled up 2 out in race won by Slo Mo Shun (10-3) at Towcester 2m sll hcp hdl 0-95 (5) gd in Apr, 16 ran.
Highland Games (IRE) 40-1 (11-1) Chased leaders, losing place when mistake 6th and pulled up 5 out in race won by Rathcor (10-9) at Chepstow 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-125 (3) gd in Apr, 14 ran.
Sonnengold (GER) 10-1 (11-0) In touch, lost place after 4th, well behind after next, stayed on again from 3 out, 3rd of 10, 16l behind Councillor Jack (11-2) at Stratford 2m 3f sll hdl (4) gs in Mar.
