led, jumped left at times, ridden and headed before last, kept on same pace, no chance with winner flat
tracked leaders, ridden and outpaced by front pair after 3 out, kept on same pace under pressure from next, no impression
tracked leader, close up after 3 out, led before last, driven clear flat, stayed on well, comfortably
behind, lost touch after 3 out, left remote 4th briefly next, soon weakened, tailed off
chased leaders early, behind from 4th, lost touch 8th, went remote 4th after 2 out, no chance with leaders, tailed off
chased clear leaders mostly in 4th, in touch when ridden after 3 out, one pace when blundered and unseated rider next
NonRunner
Desert Queen has a good strike-rate overall and has won two of her four starts over fences. Noel Fehily will no doubt be keen to make all on her again, as he did at Leicester last time when Kassis was well beaten and Kilronan High unseated her rider, but recent rain could be a problem. Harry Fry’s mare likes to bounce off quicker ground so we’ll take the view that a trouble-free round at Bangor will have boosted the confidence of ANTARTICA DE THAIX, who gets the vote. Actinpieces has improved markedly since finishing last behind Desert Queen at Market Rasen in November so rates a threat while Colla Pier has travelled over from Ireland having finished second in this grade at Doncaster in December when last in this country. Pass The Time is a versatile mare but another seemingly at her best on quicker surfaces.
Desert Queen 4-1 (11-10) Jumped left, made all, clear 4th, not fluent 13th, reduced lead when not fluent 4 out, went away again from 2 out, stayed on well, won at Leicester 2m 7f lst (1) gd in Jan beating Cresswell Breeze (11-0) by 10l, 8 ran.
Actinpieces 5-1 (12-2) Held up in touch in last pair, steady headway tracking leaders 4 out, 3rd next, ridden and went 2nd last, stayed on to lead final 110 yards, won at Catterick 3m 1f hcp (3) sft in Feb beating Conquer Gold (11-5) by 3 1/4l, 6 ran.
Antartica De Thaix (FR) Evensfav (10-12) Tracked leader, every chance 2 out, led before and left well clear last, ridden out, won at Bangor 2m 4f (4) sft in Feb beating Lochnell (10-12) by dist, 5 ran.
Colla Pier (IRE) 11-1 (11-0) Held up, 6th halfway, progress into 4th 3 out, ridden and no impression 2 out, no extra in 5th before last, slight mistake when left 4th and hampered last, weakened, 5th of 9, 25l behind Westerner Lady (11-5) at Thurles 2m 4f (1) Yielding - Soft in Jan.
Kassis 100-1 (11-0) Held up in mid-division, pushed along 12th, outpaced 4 out, plugged on from 2 out, 4th last, no impression, 4th of 8, 20 1/2l behind Desert Queen (11-10) at Leicester 2m 7f lst (1) gd in Jan.
Kilronan High (IRE) 16-1 (11-0) Chased winner until mistake and unseated rider 10th, at Leicester 2m 7f lst (1) gd in Jan.
Pass The Time 15-8fav (9-13) Raced keenly, tracked leader 2f, stayed handy, effort to challenge 3f out, no impression on winner and lost 2nd inside final furlong, one pace, 3rd of 9, 2l behind Ryan The Giant (8-7) at Newcastle 2m hcp (6) pol in Feb.
