held up, headway 3rd, led and hit last, edged right flat, driven out
mid-division, headway approaching 5th, every chance 3 out, weakened 2 out
in touch, ridden approaching last, no extra towards finish
in touch, pushed along after 5th, soon weakened
with leader, led after 2nd to 4th, led again approaching 3 out, ridden and headed approaching last, stayed on
behind, mistake 3rd, effort approaching 3 out, soon weakened
led, headed after 2nd, lost place 3rd, behind from next, stayed on well flat
held up, headway 3rd, weakened after 5th, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out
Nonrunner
The Hairy Lemon was punted as though defeat was out of the question at Warwick last month and the odds were duly landed so the chances are that Alan King's gelding can follow up off his 7lb higher mark with Coach Lane and Polished rated the main dangers. There was a suspicion that the ground may have been too testing for the selection last time but he seems to handle it fine and is taken to follow up in a similar contest. Random Quest was still going reasonably well when falling in a better race at Cheltenham last time and has claims on earlier winning form in the heavy at Chepstow, while Martin Pipe's Mirant has claims on the pick of his form but is probably best watched under top weight. Billyandi may be better than he has shown so far but is hard to recommend with any confidence along with Caroline's Rose, who has shown little sign of ability of late. There Is No Doubt had some useful form in bumpers but has yet to reproduce the same level of ability over timber and of more interest may be recent Chepstow winner Coach Lane, who does not appear to be too badly treated for his debut in a handicap. Polished has run with great consistency this term and is entitled to be thereabouts once more but may have to settle for a minor role behind The Hairy Lemon who is taken to win again.
Mirant 12-1 (10-9) Chased leaders to 7th, soon weakened, 8th of 13, well behind Vicario (10-12) at Haydock 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-125 (D) sft in Dec.
The Hairy Lemon Evensfav (11-8) Prominent, led approaching 2 out, driven out, won at Warwick 2m hcp hdl 0-110 (E) sft in Dec beating Make My Hay (10-10) by 1/2l, 10 ran.
Polished 8-1 (11-5) Chased leaders, challenged and hit 3 out, led soon after, headed 2 out, soon no chance with winner, kept on to go 2nd, 2nd of 12, 7l behind Alph (11-10) at Plumpton 2m hcp hdl 0-110 (4) sft.
Coach Lane 3-1 (10-11) Held up, headway 4th, pecked 3 out, every chance 2 out, beaten when left 2nd last, rallied run-in to lead close home, won at Chepstow 2m mdn hdl (E) hvy in Dec beating Noble Bily (11-2) by 1/2l, 11 ran.
Random Quest 9-1 (11-7) Mid-division, ridden, headway, in touch and staying on one pace when blundered and fell 4 out in race won by Not Left Yet (11-10) at Cheltenham 2m nov hcp hdl 0-110 (D) gs in Nov, 19 ran.
Billyandi (IRE) 8-1 (11-0) Led, headed well before 2 out, weakened quickly, tailed off, 6th of 7, well behind Its A Dream (11-0) at Sandown 2m nh nov hdl (D) gs in Dec.
Presenter (IRE) 25-1 (10-13) Held up, ridden after 3 out, soon weakened, 9th of 10, 35l behind The Hairy Lemon (11-8) at Warwick 2m hcp hdl 0-110 (E) sft in Dec.
Runaway Bishop (USA) 14-1 (9-9) Held up, pushed along approaching 6th, never dangerous, 6th of 11, 21l behind Victory Gunner (11-4) at Market Rasen 3m 4f hcp chs 0-125 (D) gs in Dec.
Caroline's Rose 125-1 (10-4) Behind, headway approaching 4th, weakened 3 out, tailed off when mistake and unseated rider 2 out in race won by Three Ships (10-7) at Huntingdon 2m amt nov hdl (E) gf in May, 14 ran.
There Is No Doubt (FR) 11-1 (11-3) Chased leaders, ridden to challenge 3 out, weakened next, 7th of 16, 25l behind True Mariner (11-7) at Huntingdon 2m 5f hcp hdl 0-100 (F) gd in Dec.
Elegant Clutter (IRE) 50-1 (10-10) Held up, headway 3 out, ridden to lead approaching last, stayed on well, won at Bangor 2m 1f cnd nov hcp hdl (E) gd in Oct '03 beating Day Du Roy (11-4) by 1 1/2l, 10 ran.
