in touch, reminders 3rd, ridden 9th, weakened 3 out
led, ridden clear after 2 out, mistake last and out-battled and headed close home
held up, jumped slowly 5th, headway 9th, ridden to chase leaders 3 out, weakened 2 out
held up, headway 4th, mistake 7th, tracked leader from 10th, ridden 3 out, kept on under pressure to out-battle leader and lead close home
tracked leaders, blundered 4th and lost place, weakened 10th, pulled up before 2 out
with leader, mistake 10th, soon weakened
towards rear, headway 9th, ridden to chase leaders 3 out, never on terms, weakened last
held up, lost touch from 7th, pulled up before 3 out
towards rear, ridden and lost place 8th, mistake next, pulled up before 3 out
tracked leaders, lost place 6th, weakened 4 out
Nonrunner
A competitive novices' handicap chase but Renee Robeson has her runners in fine form at present and KIKOS can defy just a 3lb rise to win again here, while Battlefield looks a danger. The latter runner attempts a hat-trick here after success at both Leicester and Ludlow, and a 4lb rise for the latest of those looks fair. The question is whether or not he will go on ground this quick and so we are prepared to oppose with Kikos. Although she has not had many runners of late, his trainer has saddled two winners and a third from her last three, so you'd have to be impressed with her form. Kikos has ground and trip to suit and is up just 3lbs for breaking his career duck at Huntingdon last time and looks the one to be on with improvement entirely possible. Sula's Legend acts on a sound surface but looked held from this mark last time at Taunton and may find a couple too good. Phoenix Eye is another to consider after a course and distance defeat of Zorro De La Vega in similar conditions last month but a 7lb rise looks stiff enough. If going on the ground Omme Antique has possibilities, but we'll take Kikos to score.
Sula's Legend 1-2fav (11-6) Chased winner, ridden and mistake 4 out, effort approaching last, always held by winner, 2nd of 3, 5l behind Dream Falcon (11-4) at Taunton 2m 3f nov hcp chs (0-125) (3) fm in Mar.
Kikos (FR) 4-1 (11-4) Led 1st, headed 3rd, led again 6th, jumped right and mistake last, hung right flat, stayed on, won at Huntingdon 2m 4f 5yo nov hcp (4) gf in Mar beating Ortega (9-7) by 3 1/2l, 7 ran.
Scalini's (IRE) 9-1 (10-10) Always in rear, 8th of 10, well behind Pret A Thou (10-7) at Hereford 2m nov chs (4) sft in Feb.
Battlefield 7-1 (10-5) Mid-division, headway when not fluent 7th, hit 9th, went 2nd approaching 4 out, challenged last, hung right and led flat, ran on, won at Ludlow 2m hcp ch 0-110 (4) gs in Feb beating Colliers Court (10-5) by nk, 13 ran.
Omme Antique (FR) 7-2fav (10-13) Chased leaders, led 7th, headed next, in 4th and weakening when fell 2 out, in a race won by Soprano (10-13) at Leicester 2m 5yo nov hcp (4) gs in Mar, 8 ran.
Serve Notice (IRE) 33-1 (10-3) Always towards rear, last of 12, well behind Brandam (10-2) at Limerick 2m 6f hcp hdl hvy in Mar.
Phoenix Eye 10-1 (10-4) Held up, headway 4 out, led 2 out, ridden out, won at Hereford 2m 3f hcp chs 0-100 (4) gf in Mar beating Zorro De La Vega (10-11) by 1 1/4l, 7 ran.
Jomelamin 13-2 (10-4) Held up in rear, headway approaching 3 out, weakened approaching 2 out, 6th of 10, 35l behind Cybora (10-9) at Leicester 2m 4f stks (5) gd in Nov.
Roseville (IRE) 28-1 (10-11) Prominent, lost place 4th, outpaced from 7th, never in contention after, 6th of 11, 15l behind Zorro De La Vega (11-7) at Hereford 2m hcp chs 0-90 (5) gd in Mar.
Mystic King 22-1 (9-12) Prominent, weakened 7th, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out, in a race won by Cusp (11-2) at Hereford 2m 3f hcp chs 0-90 (5) gs in Feb, 15 ran.
Hondalia (IRE) 33-1 (11-1) Mid-division, ridden after 8th, weakened before next, 9th of 14, 36l behind Georgian King (11-1) at Exeter 2m 6f nov hdl (4) gd in Apr '08.
