chased leaders until ridden 15th, weakend before next, tailed off
held up in touch, pecked 13th, mistake 15th, chased leading pair next, not fluent and weakened 3 out
in touch, ridden 12th, pulled up after next
chased leaders, ridden 12th, weakened 15th
tracked leader, challenging from 3 out, led last, ridden clear
ridden and dropped to rear 6th, never going well after, plugged on again from after 4 out
led, mistake 12th and 15th, joined 3 out, strongly pressed, mistake and headed last, no extra run-in
Gray's Eulogy is the pick over Ebony Jack, Stormy Skye and Strolling Vagabond. There are plenty in with chances here, but it is hoped that Gray's Eulogy will bounce back from his mishap at Huntingdon to register a third success over fences. Granted, he looked held by the eventual winner Its Crucial when falling at the seventh last time, but he would certainly have finished second, and will be all the better for that first run since November. Ebony Jack lines up from 4lb out of the handicap, and a closer look at the weights reveals that there should be very little between him and his Plumpton conqueror Strolling Vagabond, a one-paced individual who has since been beaten at Leicester. In addition, the latter is not entitled to uphold December form here with Stormy Skye on today's terms, and so is probably worth taking on. Pardini has been quite busy this year, having been seen out five times already without success, and so we return to Gray's Eulogy as the answer to a somewhat trappy affair.
Hazeljack 25-1 (10-8) Prominent, ridden 4 out, disputing 5th but weakening when blundered badly 2 out, 7th of 10, 30l behind Zimbabwe (10-9) at Leicester 2m 7f hcp chs 0-125 (3) sft in Feb.
One Step Closer (IRE) 33-1 (10-6) Held up, slow jump 4th, weakened 10th, tailed off from 4 out, 4th of 5, well behind Moncadou (11-2) at Folkestone 2m 5f beg chs (4) hvy in Feb.
Gray's Eulogy 7-2fav (10-3) Led 1st, headed next, chased winner after, 6 lengths down when fell at the 7th in race won by Its Crucial (10-13) at Huntingdon 3m hcp chs 0-115 (4) sft in Feb, 9 ran.
Stormy Skye (IRE) 7-1 (10-2) In touch, improved to chase winner 11th until 13th, weakened 3 out, 5th of 9, well behind Its Crucial (10-13) at Huntingdon 3m hcp chs 0-115 (4) sft in Feb.
Strolling Vagabond (IRE) 6-1 (11-4) Mid-division, reminders after 8th, soon struggling, 10th of 13, 37l behind Casalani (11-4) at Leicester 2m 7f hcp chs (5) sft in Feb.
Pardini (USA) 11-2 (9-7) Tracked leader, led 6th until 8th, chased leader, led 11th, headed next weakened flat, 4th of 9, 7l behind Tommy Carson (10-0) at Plumpton 3m 2f amt hcp chs 0-115 (4) hvy in Feb.
Ebony Jack (IRE) 7-1 (11-2) In rear, headway to chase leaders 12th, mistake 4 out, every chance last, no extra flat, 3rd of 11, 3 1/2l behind Strolling Vagabond (10-12) at Plumpton 3m 2f hcp chs 0-90 (5) sft in Jan.
