chased leaders, led 11th, ridden 2 out, headed, not quicken towards finish
held up, mistake 4th, fell 9th
chased leader to 7th, ridden approaching 3 out, weakened approaching 2 out
led to 11th, soon ridden, weakened approaching 2 out
in touch, ridden approaching 2 out, ran on to lead towards finish
held up, headway 11th, ridden and close 4th when mistake and unseated rider 3 out
jumped big, always behind, pulled up after 7th
mid-division, headway 8th, ridden after 3 and every chance after 3 out, hit 2 out, weakening when hit last
Venetia Williams has had some success with the horses that she has been sent from Richard Guest's stable and is taken to have more success here with Caribbean Cove, who is preferred to Afro Man and Motcombe. The selection has dropped to a fair mark and been given a break since leaving the Guest stable and looks worth a bet to take advantage of his current rating. The ex-Irish Life Begins has to be of interest on his first start for Jonjo O'Neill but is probably best watched with an eye to the future, while Deliceo has disappointed in two recent starts this month and is hard to recommend on that evidence. Parish Oak looks a shade high in the weights and of more interest may be Afro Man, who unseated last time but had done little wrong prior to that this season and remains relatively unexposed. Motcombe was still in contention when falling at Wincanton recently and is another to consider but the vote goes to Caribbean Cove, who has slipped to a fair mark and is taken to make the most of it.
Parish Oak 22-1 (10-6) Tracked leaders, ridden 11th, weakened 12th, tailed off, 5th of 7, well behind Pass Me A Dime (11-3) at Warwick 2m 4f hcp chs 0-125 (D) sft in Dec.
Afro Man 3-1fav (11-12) Held up, blundered and unseated rider at the 6th in race won by Jupon Vert (11-1) at Huntingdon 2m hcp chs 0-105 (E) gd in Dec, 9 ran.
Deliceo (IRE) 20-1 (10-12) Held up, headway 9th, weakened 11th, 6th of 11, 26l behind Bob The Builder (11-3) at Ludlow 2m 4f hcp chs 0-115 (4) gd in Jan.
Motcombe (IRE) 5-1fav (11-7) Mid-division, towards rear when fell at the 14th in race won by Boundary House (10-6) at Wincanton 3m 1f hcp chs (4) sft in Jan, 14 ran.
Caribbean Cove (IRE) 9-4fav (11-7) Held up mid-division, headway 13th, chased leaders next, weakened after 2 out, 4th of 11, 16l behind Reverse Swing (10-3) at Fakenham 2m 5f hcp chs 0-100 (F) gd in Oct.
Looking Forward 14-1 (10-7) Not jump well, soon towards rear, behind when pulled up in race won by Lord Capitaine (10-6) at Sedgefield 3m 4f hcp chs 0-125 (D) gd in Apr '04, 12 ran.
Life Begins (IRE) 10-3fav (11-5) Mid-division, 7th 6 out, weakened next, tailed off, 11th of 14, well behind Indian Tom (9-6) at Ballinrobe 2m 4f hcp chs 0-95 gs in May '04.
Lord Gunnerslake (IRE) 200-1 (10-13) Prominent, led 7th to 9th, hit 11th, weakened approaching 3 out, tailed off, 7th of 9, well behind Billyvoddan (11-12) at Leicester 2m 4f nov chs (3) gs in Jan.
