jumped left, led, mistake 12th, headed 4 out, no extra in 3rd when mistake last
chased leaders on inside, mistake 6th, went 2nd after 9th, challenged next, led 4 out, mistake 3 out, headed before last, rallied flat, no impression towards finish
chased leader until before 8th where slow, hit next, outpaced after 4 out, rallied before 2 out, led approaching last, stayed on
raced keenly, chased leaders, went 2nd before 8th until after next, weakened before 2 out
always last, outpaced 4 out, well beaten before 2 out
Schiaparannie has already found Listed company too hot to handle twice this season. Pink Legend has gone right off the boil since winning at Ascot in the autumn but Galice Macalo is improving with experience. Twice a winner at Cheltenham recently, VIENNA COURT has made giant strides since finishing more than nine lengths behind Leicester winner Maskada at Bangor in the autumn and is fancied to turn the tables, despite re-opposing on the same terms.
Maskada (FR) 10-3 (11-0) Raced wide, tracked leading pair, tracked leader before 2nd, led 3 out (normal 4 out), went left last (normal 2 out), ridden and stayed on gamely extended run-in, won at Leicester 2m lst (1) gs in Jan beating Zambella (11-4) by 1 1/2l, 4 ran.
Vienna Court (IRE) 10-1 (10-6) Held up in rear, headway on outside going well 13th, led 2 out, driven out flat, won at Cheltenham 2m 5f hcp (1) sft in Jan beating Simply The Betts (11-10) by 1 3/4l, 16 ran.
Pink Legend 6-1 (10-10) Towards rear, not fluent and pushed along at times, went prominent before 5 out, ridden and gradually faded 2 out, 6th of 9, 26 1/2l behind Golden Whisky (10-5) at Chepstow 2m 3f hcp (2) sft in Dec.
Galice Macalo (FR) 18-1 (10-5) Led until 2nd, led before 4th, headed 2 out, no impression on winner flat, kept on, 2nd of 7, 3 1/4l behind Red Rookie (10-12) at Hereford 2m (3) gs in Jan.
Schiaparannie 33-1 (10-12) Chased leaders, outpaced 12th, rallied from 2 out, went 3rd flat, no chance with winner, 3rd of 6, 16 3/4l behind Zambella (11-2) at Doncaster 2m 5f lst (1) sft in Dec.