A mares' bumper to ponder this time and Mabel Tasman should improve for her debut run, but so also should POPPY COME RUNNING, and she gets the vote. Gary Moore's six-year-old was in the process of running out a decisive winner on debut at Folkestone when ducking out to the wrong side of a rail a furlong from home and unseating Joshua Moore. That hasn't appeared to put off the pilot, who is back on board today, and she can hopefully get over that experience and complete the job this time. The one thing she does have to do is prove that she handles this surface, but we will go with that. Mabel Tasman returns to the scene of her own debut, when she stayed on well over course and distance to make the frame. With the age allowance here and that experience both positives she could have a very big say. Paul Webber runs two here, and he has nothing like the success that he used to do in bumpers these days. However, Black Annie has shown enough so far to suggest that she has frame claims here, and the same goes for She's Sassy, who tried to tackle bottomless ground first time out and may well appreciate this faster surface. Poppy Come Running gets the nod.
Battle Axe (FR) 8-1 (10-12) Pulled hard early, held up in touch, headway 4f out, weakened well over 2f out, 6th of 8, 36l behind Malindi Bay (10-12) at Folkestone 2m 1f N H flat (6) sft in Nov.
Black Annie (IRE) 11-1 (10-12) Took keen hold, held up in rear, kept on one pace final 2f, 5th of 13, 13l behind Deejan (10-12) at Ludlow 2m N H flat (4) sft in Dec.
Dark Dancer 16-1 (10-7) Held up towards rear, ridden 6f out, kept on approaching 2f out, never nearer, 6th of 14, 14l behind Voltigger Hill (11-0) at Lingfield 2m mdn nhf (6) hvy in Dec.
Dark Ruby Overbury mare out of Glenda Ross.
Noir Noir Gleaming mare out of Shengari.
Osmosia (FR) Mansonnien mare out of Osmose.
Poppy Come Running (IRE) 7-2 (10-5) Held up in touch, pulled hard early, driven to challenge over 2f out, soon led, ducked left and ran out entering final furlong, in a race won by Malindi Bay (10-12) at Folkestone 2m 1f N H flat (6) sft in Nov, 8 ran.
She's Sassy (IRE) 9-2 (10-9) Chased leaders, until weakened over 3f out, 5th of 11, 23l behind Kaybeew (11-2) at Plumpton 2m 2f NH flat (5) hvy in Nov.
Mabel Tasman 33-1 (9-12) Held up mid-division, ridden 3f out, driven 2f out, headway approaching final furlong, staying on when switched right inside final furlong, 3rd of 10, 6l behind Open Day (10-12) at Lingfield 2m Juvenile Nat Hunt Flat (3yo) (AW) (6) std in Dec.
