tracked leaders, ridden to lead after 3 out, headed when fell next
in touch, ridden after 5th, soon beaten
held up, headway 5th, ridden and every chance when not fluent 2 out, one pace after
jumped right and never fluent, tracked leader, led approaching 2 out, ridden and headed well before last, kept on same pace, hit last
led, hit 4th, headed after 3 out, weakened quickly and pulled up before next
held up in touch, led briefly after 3 out, soon ridden, weakened next
beaten 7th, held up, ridden after 5th, soon beaten
held up, hit 5th, headway next, led soon after 2 out, stayed on well
Hot Diamond has to be of interest on his hurdling debut for trainer Phillip Hobbs but lack of experience over timber has to be of concern and preference is for Red Flare, with Zanir rated the pick of the remainder. The selection was nothing out of the ordinary on the level but looked a good recruit to the hurdling ranks when making a winning debut here over Christmas. A reproduction of that effort may well suffice for Alan King's gelding and he gets the vote. Six Day War showed progressive form on the flat and could be of interest on his debut for Oliver Sherwood, while Mark Of Love looks to be going the right way and should be thereabouts. Tom George's Zanir would have claims if able to show the sort of form that he did when a close third at Newbury but Red Flare has solid claims and he is preferred.
Red Flare (IRE) 11-1 (10-7) Keen hold early, held up, headway approaching 4 out, ridden to chase leader 2 out, led and mistake last, driven and stayed on run-in, won at Kempton 2m 3yo nov hdl (3) gs in Dec beating Hibiki (10-12) by 1l, 11 ran.
Eau Good 14-1 (11-0) Held up, under pressure and weakened 3 out, tailed off when pulled up at the last in race won by Russian Invader (11-0) at Folkestone 2m 1f 3yo mdn hdl (4) sft in Nov, 9 ran.
Hot Diamond 12-1 (9-2) Held up behind, headway on outside 3f out, ridden and effort when hit on head over 1f out, stayed on, 3rd of 19, 1 1/2l behind Whenever (8-10) at Doncaster 1m 7f hcp 0-85 (4) gd in Oct (Flat).
Mark of Love (IRE) 25-1 (10-12) Held up in rear, headway from 2 out, went 3rd last, kept on run-in, never reached challenging position, 3rd of 11, 10l behind Red Flare (10-7) at Kempton 2m 3yo nov hdl (3) gs in Dec.
Orange Zeus 12-1 (10-12) Pulled hard, prominent, went 2nd after 2f until over 4f out, weakened 3f out, 12th of 13, well behind Ready To Crown (9-9) at Huntingdon 1m 6f nhf (5) gf in Nov.
Six Day War (IRE) 14-1 (8-13) Held up mid-division, weakened over 2f out, tailed off, 7th of 8, 38l behind Veracity (8-11) at Newmarket 1m 4f 3yo hcp (2) gd in May (Flat).
Start Royal (FR) (9-13) Headway 3 out, kept on one pace from 2 out, driven to take 4th last strides, 4th of 12, 11l behind Othermix (10-6) at Auteuil 2m 2f 3yo hdl in Jun.
Zanir (FR) 22-1 (11-0) Took keen hold, mid-division but in touch, hit 1st, not fluent 5th, disputing close 3rd 2 out, soon ridden and outpaced, 5th of 8, 24l behind Harper Valley (11-0) at Cheltenham 2m 1f 3yo nov hdl (2) gd in Dec.
