tracked leaders, ridden after 3 out, kept on one pace
held up toward, held up towards rear, chased leaders 4 out, ridden and hit 2 out, driven and kept on flat
led, ridden after 2 out, headed last, kept on flat
always towards rear, effort 14th, beaten and pulled up before 16th
tracked leader, every chance 3 out, ridden and led last, driven and kept on gamely flat
held up, close up 6th and ridden when blundered badly and unseated rider 3 out
close up, ridden and weakened from 3 out,
Nonrunner
Nonrunner
Three against the field in this marathon event are King Barry, Panama At Once and STAGECOACH DIAMOND and we will side with the last-named. Sue Smith's 10-year-old has been tried without success over these lengthy trips in recent times, but he has not performed badly nonetheless. The key to his chance here looks to be the ground. This better surface is likely to help him get home and he acts on it well, so with a feather weight to shoulder we just prefer him over Panama At Once. The latter has not yet convinced when tried over similar trips, but he is in much better form now with two wins since the turn of the year, albeit it both of them coming with plenty of cut in the ground. He has to race from 2lbs out of the handicap and he has to be considered a major player. King Barry is another in good recent form and he acts on both soft and good to firm ground. He should handle this and is unexposed over this far. Rimsky was a distant third in the Eider Chase both last time out and last season, so Nigel Twiston-Davies clearly feels he will stay forever, but his recent form does not have him leaping off the page as an obvious winner. According To John is weighted up to the hilt at present and would prefer softer ground and we will suggest Stagecoach Diamond.
King Barry (FR) 3-1fav (11-1) Held up, headway 6 out, went 2nd last, kept on, no impression, 2nd of 12, 7l behind Church Island (10-13) at Doncaster 3m hcp chs 0-145 (2) gs in Feb.
Rimsky (IRE) 12-1 (11-1) Held up, outpaced 5 out, staying on well left moderate 3rd, no impression, 3rd of 13, well behind Merigo (11-1) at Newcastle 4m 1f hcp chs (2) hvy in Feb.
Stagecoach Diamond 10-1 (10-0) Mid-division, outpaced 17th, left poor 4th last, never dangerous, 4th of 13, well behind Merigo (11-1) at Newcastle 4m 1f hcp chs (2) hvy in Feb.
Hidden Bounty (IRE) 6-1jt-fav (10-7) Towards rear, soon pushed along, headway 12th, weakened 5 out, 6th of 14, 45l behind Coe (11-9) at Haydock 3m 4f hcp chs 0-130 (3) sft in Jan.
Mister Apple's (FR) 16-1 (10-3) Chased leaders, driven along 13th, went 2nd 16th, ridden and every chance 2 out, one pace before last, 4th of 14, 21l behind Russian Trigger (11-11) at Folkestone 3m 7f hcp chs 0-130 (3) gs in Feb.
Panama At Once 7-4 (10-5) Tracked leader, hampered when left in lead 5th, soon headed, hampered and left in lead again bend after 9th, ridden 2 out, 3 lengths clear when mistake last, stayed on, won at Ayr 3m 1f hcp chs 0-125 (3) sft beating Sammy Spiderman (10-5).
Has Scored (IRE) 12-1 (11-7) Hampered 1st and pulled up at the 2nd in race won by Stormont Dawn (10-8) at Carlisle 3m hcp chs 0-90 (5) hvy, 6 ran.
According To John (IRE) 12-1 (10-5) Held up, headway 17th, ridden 3 out, soon held, 4th of 9, 9l behind Can't Buy Time (9-7) at Sandown 3m hcp chs (2) gs in Jan.
Wild Cane Ridge (IRE) 5-2 (11-2) Led, headed 3 out, rallying and every chance when blundered badly last, not recover, 3rd of 5, 5l behind Silver Sedge (10-5) at Ayr 3m 1f hcp chs 0-145 (2) sft in Feb.
