led, headed after 7th, ridden and weakened 4 out
held up, behind from 7th
close up, chased leader 8th, ridden to lead after 3 out, hung left flat, driven and all out
held up in touch, unseated rider 5th
tracked leader, led after 7th, ridden and headed 3 out, hung left, driven and kept on one pace flat
held up, improved 5th, jumped slow 8th, weakened next
close up, ridden 6th, lost place next, tailed off pulled up before 2 out
With October Mist and Just Maybe likely to take up engagements at Doncaster, this may be best left to Rowley Hill who is preferred to Dd's Glenalla. The last mentioned gained a long overdue first success when landing a handicap in the mud at Warwick in December but struggled off today's mark over course and distance last time, in admittedly faster ground, and is probably best watched today. Emphatic has claims on the pick of his form and has gone under testing conditions in the past but his recent best effort shave been on a faster surface. A market move for the reappearing Graceful Dancer would be of interest but a safer bet looks to be Rowley Hill. Alan King's gelding showed plenty of promise on his final start of last season when a close third behind Ca Na Trona at Taunton and, on that evidence, the handicapper has rightly raised him in the handicap but the seven-year-old is still unexposed over hurdles and looks to have been found a suitably weak race for his comeback.
Just Maybe (IRE) 8-1 Close up, not fluent 6th, led 8th, ridden and under pressure 2 out, kept on well, won at Wetherby 2m 7f hcp hdl 0-115 (D) gs in Feb beating Standing Bloom by 3l, 13 ran.
Emphatic (IRE) 14-1 Led until 6th, weakened quickly 9th, 14th of 16, well behind Turaath at Taunton 3m hcp hdl 0-110 (E) gd in Feb.
Rowley Hill 12-1 Prominent, ridden and chased leader 3 out, stayed on same pace from 2 out, 3rd of 7, 4l behind Ca Na Trona at Taunton 3m nov hdl (D) gd in Nov.
DD's Glenalla (IRE) 9-1 In touch, ridden approaching 3 out, weakened before next, 5th of 16, 18l behind Graffiti Tongue at Huntingdon 3m 2f hcp hdl 0-110 (E) gd in Feb.
Graceful Dancer 9-1 Held up last, lost touch 7th, stayed on one pace from 3 out, 5th of 13, 21l behind Water Sports at Taunton 3m amt hcp hdl 0-100 (F) gs in Feb '04.
Wayward Melody 20-1 Held up in touch, behind from 6th, 12th of 14, well behind Tell The Trees at Fontwell 2m 6f hcp hdl 0-115 (D) gs in Feb.
Clydeoneeyed 100-1 Always behind, never on terms, 4th of 16, 45l behind Titian Flame at Hereford 2m 3f mdn clm hdl (F) hvy in Feb.
October Mist (IRE) 40-1 Held up and behind, never dangerous, 7th of 13, 35l behind Kasthari at Doncaster 2m 3f hcp hdl 0-135 (C) gd in Jan.