led and keen, headed 3rd, chased winner, reminders before 10th, mistake 11th, ridden before 3 out, no impression
held up towards rear, weakened quickly before 11th, tailed off 12th, pulled up before 13th
held up towards rear, pecked 10th, pushed along before next, ridden and went poor 3rd before 3 out, no impression
tracked leaders, pecked and chased leader from 2nd, led 3rd and soon clear, jumped right 6th and 7th, mistake 4 out, mistake 3 out, ridden out, kept on well
tracked leader, took keen hold, blundered badly 1st, soon lost place in rear, jumped badly right 2nd, detached 4th, pulled up before 5th
held up in rear, soon tracked leaders, hit 8th, mistake 9th, ridden from 3 out, one pace
ASTURIENNE found the step up to Listed class beyond her at Newbury last time but Alan King's mare can return to winning ways back at this level. She'd won her two previous starts in testing conditions but handles today's faster ground and makes more appeal than Sonny Mullen, who scored over a shorter trip on a quick surface at Towcester on his latest start. Ballyvesey got his head back in front at Ffos Las earlier this month and has claims, while French import Renard has just the single win in 13 starts over fences to his credit and may be best watched on his UK debut.
Ballyvesey (IRE) 11-4 (11-5) Made all, ridden after 14th, pressed 3 out, in command next, held on, won at Ffos Las 3m beg chase (4) gd beating The Rainbow Hunter (10-12) by 3/4l, 4 ran.
Renard (FR) (11-7) 5th of 8, 22l behind Recital Valtat (10-7) at Auteuil(FR) 2m 5f chs hvy in Nov.
River D'or (FR) 5-1 (10-12) Always prominent, slow 9th, every chance from 4 out, hard ridden next, no extra flat, 3rd of 8, 1l behind Bai Zhu (11-12) at Newbury 3m nov hcp chs 0-130 (3) gd in Mar.
Sonny Mullen (IRE) 2-1fav (11-5) Not fluent virtually throughout, led after 1st, made rest, mistake 7th, ridden clear approaching 2 out, stayed on well, won at Towcester 2m 3f nov hcp chs 0-115 (4) gf beating Victory Surge (11-8) by 16l, 5 ran.
Wolf Moon (IRE) 10-3fav (11-12) Raced keenly, went left 3rd, led, rider went wrong side of marker bypassing ommited 11th, pulled up after next, in a race won by Western Gale (10-10) at Wetherby 3m 1f hcp chs 0-130 (3) gf, 6 ran.
Asturienne 4-1 (10-10) In touch, went 3rd 6th, hit 5 out, soon ridden, 5th and beaten 3 out, soon weakened, 5th of 9, 46l behind Easter Legend (11-7) at Newbury 2m 6f mrs lst nov hcp chs (5yo+) (1) gd in Mar.
