tracking leader when fell 5th
behind, pushed along 5 out, detatched when pulled up before next
in touch, mistake 3rd, ridden and weakened 3 out
made all, hard driven 2 out, drew clear last, ran on well
tracked leader, lost place after 2nd, effort approaching 2 out, kept on same pace
held up in rear but in touch, headway 4 out, weakened after next
A competitive Listed contest but MARDALE can usually be relied on to run her race. She steps up in trip after a third in similar company here last month and had beaten subsequent dual winner Smart Talk at Hexham earlier. The latter should go well again while Out Of The Mist makes most appeal of the recent winners having made a successful start over timber at Uttoxeter in October on her reappearance. Yes I Did, Briery Queen and Sunshine Corner all share a similar level of form and are hard to separate.
Briery Queen 3-1 (10-10) Prominent, led 3rd, went slightly left 3 out, ridden and stayed on well flat, won at Doncaster 2m 4f (4) gd in Nov beating Robins Reef (11-2) by 4l, 10 ran.
Mardale (IRE) 9-2 (10-13) Tracked leaders, went 2nd 4 out until ridden approaching last, kept on one pace, 3rd of 5, 6l behind Welsh Shadow (11-0) at Haydock 2m lst (1) sft in Nov.
Out Of The Mist (IRE) 11-4fav (11-5) Mid-division, mistake 2nd, headway before 6th, challenged 2 out, led before last, stayed on well, won at Uttoxeter 2m mdn (5) gs in Oct beating Lady Of Lamanver (11-5) by 1/2l, 14 ran.
Smart Talk (IRE) 3-1fav (11-9) Tracked leaders, 2nd approaching 4 out, pushed along and no impression before 2 out, mistake last, lost 2nd post, 3rd of 8, 12 1/4l behind Desert Queen (11-12) at Ascot 2m 6f hcp (3) gs in Nov.
Sunshine Corner (IRE) 5-4 (11-2) Jumped well, raced wide, made all at steady pace, clear before the last, easily, won at Lingfield 2m (4) hvy in Dec beating Mozo (11-2) by 2 1/4l, 9 ran.
Yes I Did (IRE) 2-1 (10-12) Tracked leader on inside, challenged after 3 out, led next, clear when ridden between last 2, mistake last, comfortably, won at Southwell 2m (4) sft in Nov beating Via Volupta (10-12) by 7l, 9 ran.