led until hit 2nd and headed, chased leader, led again 4 out, pushed along before next, joined 2 out, ridden and headed before last, stayed on same pace run-in, no chance with winner
held up off the pace towards rear, headway into modest 4th before 3 out, plugged on into 3rd close home
off the pace towards rear, bumped 4th, never a factor
awkward 1st, raced in 4th, went 3rd after 4 out, stayed on same pace, from next, no chance with leading duo, lost 3rd close home
raced in 5th on inside, mistake and went right 4th, weakened 4 out
held up off the pace in last trio, good headway chasing leaders 5th, weakened before 3 out, no chance when flattened next
chased leader, led 2nd, went clear after next, reduced lead 5th, headed 4 out, chased leader, challenged and hit 2 out, led before last, stayed on well run-in
raced wide, chased leaders, pushed along and outpaced before 3 out, stayed on again run-in, never any chance with leading duo
well off the pace in last pair, dropped to rear and mistake 5th, never on terms
Altruism goes well fresh and Chti Balko is 6lb lower than when landing this 12 months ago. Nordic Combined pops up every now and again and is starting to slip down the weights again while Firak got off the mark at Chepstow at the start of the year, though hasn’t raced since. GREEN BOOK failed to land the odds in a three-runner race here at the start of the month and will probably be suited by further in time but conditions today should bring his stamina into play and he can recoup losses.
Chti Balko (FR) 9-1 (11-11) Held up, awkward 2nd, pushed along before 3 out, no chance behind leaders last, kept on well flat, 3rd of 6, 9l behind First Impression (11-0) at Wetherby 2m hcp (3) gs in Nov.
Altruism (IRE) 7-1 (11-4) Held up in midfield, headway on outside back straight, ridden 3f out, weakened over 2f out, 12th of 13, 23 1/2l behind Wise Eagle (10-7) at Newcastle 2m (4) pol in Jan.
Firak (FR) 2-1 (11-5) Prominent, not fluent 2nd, led 2 out, clear and jumped left last, eased towards finish, won at Chepstow 2m 3f mdn (4) hvy in Jan beating Enormouse (11-5) by 10l, 13 ran.
Fusain (FR) 11-1 (12-0) Rear, not fluent 1st, not fluent and pushed along briefly 2nd, 6th halfway, ridden in 5th before 3 out, no impression in 4th from next, kept on one pace, 4th of 6, 15l behind Embittered (12-0) at Killarney 2m 1f gd in Aug.
Nordic Combined (IRE) 10-1 (11-10) Chased leaders on outside, held from 3 out, stayed on same pace, 4th of 7, 11 1/2l behind Mack The Man (11-12) at Exeter 2m 1f hcp (3) gs in Nov.
Destrier (FR) 7-1 (11-12) Held up in last, pushed along after 4th, outpaced and beaten under 3 out, last of 7, 32 1/2l behind Restandbethankful (11-7) at Huntingdon 2m hcp (3) gd in Dec.
Green Book (FR) 8-11fav (11-0) Not always fluent, led, jinked right 4th, ridden and headed flat, held towards finish, 2nd of 3, 1l behind A Different Kind (11-5) at Haydock 2m (2) hvy in Dec.
Caswell Bay 16-1 (10-13) Chased clear leaders, ridden and weakened before mistake 3 out, 4th of 5, dist behind Grumpy Charley (11-12) at Chepstow 2m hcp (3) sft in Feb.
Bari Breeze (IRE) 7-2 (10-13) Tracked leader, ridden and outpaced before 2 out, weakened after last, 6th of 8, 12 1/4l behind White Walker (10-1) at Catterick 3m 1f hcp (4) gd in Nov.
