raced keenly disputing 2nd, outright 2nd 10f out, led 5f out, quickened over 2f out, headed inside final 2f, lost 2nd over 1f out, weakened final furlong
held up last, headway on inside over 2f out, chased leaders in dispute of 2nd over 1f out, no extra inside final furlong
tracked leaders on inside, travelling well when switched out inside final 2f, shaken up over 1f out, went 2nd inside final furlong, finished strongly, not reach winner
held up in 5th, ridden and not quicken inside final 2f, weakened final furlong
raced keenly disputing 2nd 6f, handy 3rd, ridden over 1f out, went 2nd over 1f out until inside final furlong, no extra in 3rd
led 11f, tracked leader, led again on inside well over 1f out, ridden over 1f out, ran on well
Ballywood and Southfield Stone are both useful chasers with the former probably most at home over this trip, though the latter has won a bumper. DIDTHEYLEAVUEOUTTO (NAP) ran in the Champion Bumper of 2018 having won a Listed race earlier. After a promising start, he’s rather lost his way over hurdles but a race like this on a quicker surface should be right up his street. Imphal is a Polytrack winner who was just beaten in a jumpers’ bumper at Lingfield last month and he looks a better bet than the returning Dolciano Dici and an out-of-sorts Crooks Peak.
Ballywood (FR) 13-2 (11-4) Prominent, hit 8th, beaten after 3 out, bumped 2 out, weakened, 6th of 9, 19 1/4l behind Magic Saint (12-0) at Cheltenham 2m hcp (2) gs in Nov.
Crooks Peak 18-1 (10-10) Held up last, closer 3 out, pushed along before next, weakened soon after, last of 4, 23 1/2l behind Edwardstone (11-12) at Market Rasen 2m 1f hcp (2) hvy in Jan.
Didtheyleaveuoutto (IRE) 3-1fav (11-0) Held up towards rear, headway into midfield 3rd, not fluent 4th, closing on leaders when fell 3 out, at Chepstow 2m hcp (2) gd in Oct.
Dolciano Dici (FR) 8-1 (11-2) Held up in 4th early, 3rd halfway, ridden into 2nd after 3 out, no impression on leader before 2 out, kept on one pace, no extra from last, 4th of 5, 22 1/4l behind Go Another One (11-7) at Down Royal 3m Yielding - Soft in Aug.
Imphal 5-4fav (11-4) Raced keenly in last trio, headway when not clear run and switched right over 1f out, strong run inside final furlong, not quite get up, 2nd of 11, nk behind Jarlath (11-4) at Lingfield 2m (4) pol in Jan.
Southfield Stone 16-1 (11-0) Prominent early, chased leaders, struggling 13th, well behind 4 out, 10th of 17, dist behind Chatham Street Lad (10-10) at Cheltenham 2m 5f hcp (1) sft in Dec.