led and soon clear, reduced lead 6th, pushed along turning in, headed 3 out (normal 4 out), ridden and lost 2nd before next, chased leaders, weakened approaching last (normal 2 out)
chased leading pair, pushed along before 10th, soon ridden, weakened before next
rear-division, awkward 7th, never on terms
mid-division, pushed along after 9th, soon weakened
chased leaders out wide, weakened quickly approaching the last (normal 2 out)
held up and behind, good headway on inside chasing leaders before the last (normal 2 out) went 2nd bypassing omitted last, soon led and kept on well
chased leader until 8th, chased leaders weakened before 2 out (normal 3 out)
chased leaders, went 2nd 8th, led led 3 out (normal 4 out), clear on extended run-in, ridden and headed after bypassing omitted last, kept on
mid-division out wide, headway chasing leaders after 10th, went 2nd before 2 out (normal 3 out), chance when mistake last (normal 2 out) lost 2nd bypassing omitted last, no extra in 3rd soon after
towards rear of mid-division out wide, outpaced 10th, plugged on
held up towards rear, good headway chasing leaders 10th, hit 3 out (normal 4 out) weakened 2 out (normal 3 out)
NonRunner
Seven of the 12 runners in this were pulled up last time. STEEL WAVE is only 2lb higher than when beating the reluctant Zuckerberg at Stratford in October. The third that day has won since and Gary Hanmer’s charge was third over a longer trip here last month. Elkstone has won his fair share but looks held by the selection on that Stratford run. Ramonex is hard to catch right and Get Bye continues to disappoint, along with Maasai Warrior. Celma Des Bois would have claims on last season’s form but hasn’t raced in 10 months.
Ramonex (GER) 11-4 (10-9) Prominent, not fluent 8th, pushed along after 11th, jumped right 12th, ridden 13th, well behind when pulled up before 4 out, at Doncaster 3m hcp (3) gs in Dec.
Happy News 10-1 (11-13) Midfield, dropped towards rear 4th, ridden after 10th, well beaten 4 out, pulled up before 3 out, at Southwell 2m 4f hcp (5) gs in Jan.
Elkstone 33-1 (11-12) Keen towards rear, steady headway 10th, further progress 4 out, ridden to chase leaders 2 out, one pace from last, 4th of 11, 6 3/4l behind Rafferty (11-12) at Southwell 2m 4f hcp (5) gs in Jan.
Monty's Award (IRE) 50-1 (11-11) Held up, pushed along and dropped to last before 8th, lost touch before 11th, last of 8, dist behind Cilaos Glace (11-12) at Fontwell 2m 3f hcp (4) sft in Dec.
Get Bye (IRE) 4-1 (11-5) Always behind, tailed off and pulled up after 5th, at Lingfield 2m hcp (5) hvy in Dec.
Celma Des Bois (FR) 13-2 (11-4) Held up in rear, headway approaching 8th, led 5 out, mistake last, soon headed, switched right flat, held but kept on, 2nd of 12, 3l behind Arthur's Reuben (10-2) at Chepstow 3m hcp (5) gd in Mar.
Pakie's Dream (IRE) 14-1 (11-7) In rear, pushed along before 7th, well beaten from next, tailed off, 12th of 14, dist behind Decoration Of War (11-10) at Cartmel 2m 6f hcp (5) gd in Aug.
Steel Wave (IRE) 9-1 (11-1) Held up, closed 4th, not fluent 9th, mistake and weakened 2 out, 3rd of 6, 14 1/4l behind San Agustin (11-12) at Leicester 2m 7f hcp (5) gf in Dec.
Maasai Warrior (IRE) 17-2 (10-3) Held up, ridden 5 out, struggling from 4 out, pulled up before 3 out, at Fontwell 2m 6f hcp (5) gd in Nov.
Harry Hazard 11-1 (10-1) Always behind, tailed off and pulled up after 5th, at Lingfield 2m hcp (5) hvy in Dec.
Big Bad Buzz (IRE) 250-1 (11-0) Towards rear, not fluent throughout and tailed off 4 out, soon pulled up, at Bangor-on-Dee 2m 1f mdn (4) gd in Sep.
Prairie Town (IRE) 50-1 (11-9) Never going well in rear, jumped slowly 4th, tailed off and pulled up after 9th, at Plumpton 2m 4f hcp (4) sft in Jan.
