off the pace and always towards rear
held up in last trio, good headway on inside chasing leaders before 3 out, went 2nd approaching 3 out until 3 out, no extra in 3rd
always behind, last pair and struggling 4 out, tailed off
off the pace in last pair, not fluent 2nd, outpaced and struggling in rear 4 out, tailed off and pulled up before next
close 3rd on inside, went 2nd home turn until pushed along before 3 out, chased leaders, weakened after 3 out, pulled up before next
chased leaders, went 2nd 3 out, stepped at the last, staying on same pace and no impression when hung left under pressure run-in
raced keenly, made all, came clear from 3 out, stayed on strongly, unchallenged
chased winner, mistake and stumbled 3rd, pushed along and lost 2nd home turn, soon weakened, tailed off
held up in 5th out wide, closer at 8th, ridden and weakened between last two, kept on pressing for modest 3rd
This is Mill Green’s time of year and he finished third in the final of this series at Cheltenham last year. He was later only third behind Party Business at Aintree but is much better off at the weights today. Onagatheringstorm is interesting following wind surgery and Get A Tonic is a consistent mare though she looks held by The Changing Man on Huntingdon form. BRANDY MCQUEEN (NAP) has done nothing but improve over the last year but he is still at the right end of the handicap and Edward Austin takes off 5lb again here. Hardy Bloke travels over from Ireland but remains winless while Jerrash went up 5lb for winning at Plumpton. Johnson's Blue won six times last year but looked in the handicapper’s grip last time at Fakenham.
Party Business (IRE) 20-1 (11-10) Mid-division, slow 1st, mistake 6th, towards rear 8th, ridden and headway before 2 out, no impression, weakening in 8th last, 9th of 14, 19 3/4l behind Green Book (11-4) at Sandown 2m 7f hcp (1) gs in Feb.
Mill Green 18-1 (11-4) Mid-division, mistake 6th, headway before 3 out, 3rd from 2 out, no impression on front pair, kept on, 3rd of 21, 12 3/4l behind Party Business (10-10) at Aintree 3m 1f hcp (1) gs in Apr.
Get A Tonic (IRE) 12-1 (11-13) Towards rear, pushed along and some headway 2 out, never a factor, 6th of 12, 8l behind Itchy Feet (12-0) at Huntingdon 3m 1f hcp (2) gs in Jan.
Jerrash 5-1 (11-11) Raced on inside in mid-division, good headway tracking leaders 10th, hit next, went 2nd between last two, hung left soon after, driven ahead final 110 yards, won at Plumpton 3m 1f hcp (3) gs in Jan beating Midnightreflection (11-1) by 1 1/4l, 9 ran.
Onagatheringstorm (IRE) 6-1 (11-13) Chased leaders, nudged along before 3 out, ridden approaching last, kept on to go fourth flat, 4th of 12, 9 1/2l behind Iroko (11-4) at Wetherby 2m 4f hcp (3) gd in Nov.
The Changing Man (IRE) 11-4fav (10-13) Tracked leaders, ridden to chase winner 2 out, stayed on flat, 2nd of 12, 1 1/4l behind Itchy Feet (12-0) at Huntingdon 3m 1f hcp (2) gs in Jan.
Johnson's Blue (IRE) 6-1 (12-0) Mid-division, pushed along and weakened approaching 3 out, 6th of 15, 23 1/2l behind Irish Hill (11-13) at Fakenham 2m 4f hcp (3) gs in Jan.
Brandy Mcqueen (IRE) 5-2fav (10-2) Made all, ridden 2 out, stayed on flat, won at Musselburgh 3m hcp (2) gd in Feb beating Coltor (11-7) by 3/4l, 13 ran.
Hardy Bloke (FR) 28-1 (10-0) Mid-division on outer, 7th 2 out, soon pushed along, ridden in 3rd before last, kept on same pace run-in, 3rd of 17, 6 1/2l behind Perceval Legallois (10-12) at Leopardstown 3m hcp Yielding in Feb.
