held up in touch, chased leaders 4 out, ridden 2 out, weakened flat
led until headed after 4th, led again 12th, hit 15th, challenged when blundered and unseated rider 2 out
held up in touch, hit 15th, chased leaders 4 out, ridden 2 out and one pace flat
always towards rear, lost touch 14th, tailed off when pulled up before last
prominent, led after 4th until 12th, ridden 2 out, kept on gamely to lead again flat
tracked leaders, headway and every chance when left leader 2 out, ridden approaching last, headed and no extra flat
Withdrawn
Micky Hammond's Chernik has more to do under a penalty than when landing a novices' handicap chase at Carlisle off a mark of 95 last month and he may struggle to give weight away to REEL CHARMER, who gets the verdict ahead of Caramia. Malcolm Jefferson's gelding got no further than the first fence before being brought down at Market Rasen last time and he is better judged on the form shown when a close fourth behind That's Rhythm at Bangor previously. Minouchka has her firststart since landing a hunter chase at Aintree a year ago and would have every chance if fully wound up for her reappearance. Don McCain has his string in good form but his runner Our Jim has been well held in recent starts and of more interest may be Snake Charmer, who made a promising debut over fences when chasing home Wild Tonto at Wetherby last month. Preference though is for Reel Charmer, who is easily the best of these over hurdles and showed enough over fences at Musselburgh in February to suggest that he could be good enough to take this.
Caramia (FR) 8-1 (10-5) In rear when brought down 1st, in a race won by Seymour Weld (11-5) at Market Rasen 3m 1f nov stks (3) gd in Apr, 4 ran.
Our Jim 8-1 (10-12) Chased leader blundered 3rd led 4th, mistake 10th, headed 11th, weakened 3 out, 5th of 7, 20l behind Soubriquet (10-9) at Bangor 2m 4f nov chs (3) gd in Apr.
Snake Charmer 6-4fav (10-9) Chased leaders, led 9th, headed 11th, led again after 5 out, ridden and headed approaching last, no extra, 2nd of 5, 4 1/2l behind Wild Tonto (11-0) at Wetherby 2m 6f beg chase (4) gf in Apr.
Uptown Lad (IRE) 12-1 (10-11) Prominent, led 4th, headed next, no impression from 2 out, 9th of 14, 21l behind Gamma Velorum (11-2) at Sedgefield 2m 1f hcp hdl 0-95 (5) gf in Apr.
Minouchka (FR) 4-6 (10-7) Held up; hdwy 14; outpcd app 2 out; kpt on wl flat, 2nd of 7, 1 1/4l behind Rayshan (11-0) at Corbridge 3m ptp in Apr.
Reel Charmer 22-1 (11-2) Raced keenly, held up on outside, headway and in touch halfway, went 2nd 4 out, challenged next, led 2 out, ridden and one pace flat, 2nd of 11, 6l behind Elzahann (10-11) at Ayr 3m hcp hdl (2) gd in Apr.
Chernik (IRE) 18-1 (11-7) Always prominent, led 10th, made rest, drew clear from 4 out, won at Carlisle 3m nov hcp chs 0-100 (4) gd in Apr beating Indy Mood (10-9) by 23l, 11 ran.
