held up towards rear, headway 4 out, every chance approaching 2 out, no extra approaching last
mid-division, weakened approaching 4 out
tracked leaders, ridden and weakened approaching 4 out
held up in touch, headway 4 out, led 3 out, headed last, kept on same pace
held up towards rear, brief effort after 4 out, no further progress
with leader, ridden and weakened quickly after 4 out, tailed off and pulled up before 2 out
pulled hard in rear, headway 3 out, ridden next, kept on one pace
held up in mid-division, headway 4 out, led last, ridden out
in touch, pushed along and lost place halfway, no danger after
mid-division, headway 4 out, every chance approaching 2 out, weakened approaching last
in touch, ridden and weakened quickly after 4 out, tailed off and pulled up before 2 out
towards rear, weakened halfway
towards rear, weakened 4 out, tailed off when tried to refuse last, virtually pulled up
Encore Cadoudal holds obvious claims and will be a tough nut to crack despite his penalty, with Kimbambo, Ghost Rider and Mr Lear out to stop him. Encore Cadoudal was not extended to open his account on this course three weeks ago, a predictable outcome given his earlier battling second to Ashleybank House at Ayr on Boxing Day, form that was franked by the latter defying an 8lb rise last week. Peter Monteith's charge will handle the ground and stay the trip, so appears to have everything in his favour against modest opposition, the best of whom may be Kimbambo. The French-bred also shoulders a penalty for scoring on his debut here in December. A good run behind Paddy The Piper on a return visit shows that he handles the track and testing going, but his form does not read quite as good as that of the selection. Paddy The Piper's trainer Len Lungo saddles Ghost Rider who belied big odds to run fourth behind the useful Steppes Of Gold, also here three weeks ago, and will be running on at the finish. With Vintage Premium taken out presumably because of the ground, trainer Richard Fahey will pray that Mr Lear will act with the cut underfoot, although all his best form on the Flat was on fast ground. All in all, this looks best left to Encore Cadoudal.
