held up, good headway tracking leaders after 2nd, tracked leader next, led 4 out, clear from next, stayed on strongly
held up in last pair, headway approaching 11th, ridden in 4th before 4 out, plugged on into 2nd run-in, no chance with winner
led and set good pace, headed 4 out, lost 2nd next, no chance with winner, weakened into 3rd run-in
tracked leader until 3rd, chased leading pair, pushed along before 4 out, weakened before last
held up last, well held in 5th when blundered and unseated rider 3 out
held up in 5th, struggling 15th, tailed off and pulled up before next
chased leaders, weakened 14th, no chance when mistake 3 out, tailed off and pulled up before last
A few of these have become disappointing but that’s not the case with Pam Sly’s mare ACTINPIECES (NAP), who ran a blinder in the Grade 3 Rowland Meyrick at Wetherby on Boxing Day when beaten under a length. She races off the same mark here and regular pilot Gina Andrews takes off 3lb again. Aubusson and Sego Success have the ability to figure in a race like this but are hard to catch right nowadays. Champagne At Tara hasn’t raced since tailed off at Aintree last June and Mystical Knight never looked like winning at Bangor on his reappearance and needs really testing ground, though has been dropped another 3lb.
Actinpieces 8-1 (10-13) Held up, close up 5th, outpaced 15th, ridden 3 out, rallied and stayed on run in, 4th of 8, 1/2l behind Get On The Yager (10-7) at Wetherby 3m hcp (1) sft in Dec.
Aubusson (FR) 6-1 (10-6) Held up behind, saddle slipped and rider lost irons 6 out, never able to challenge, weakened before last, tailed off, 7th of 10, 32l behind Kingswell Theatre (10-7) at Cheltenham 3m 6f hcp (2) gd in Nov.
Sego Success (IRE) 4-1 (10-12) Mid-division, blundered 11th, pushed along and weakened before 4 out, 7th of 9, 35 1/4l behind Mustmeetalady (10-4) at Doncaster 3m hcp (2) gd in Dec.
Local Show (IRE) 25-1 (11-8) Chased leading pair until 10th, chased leaders, hit 12th, weakened 14th, tailed off, 6th of 7, dist behind Tintern Theatre (11-4) at Kempton 3m hcp (2) sft in Dec.
Champagne At Tara 2-1 (11-12) Held up, 3rd from 8th, went 2nd behind clear winner 4 out, no impression and ridden after 3 out, weakened into 3rd before last, lost 3rd flat, 4th of 5, dist behind Vintage Vinnie (11-12) at Aintree 3m 1f hcp (3) gd in Jun.
Mystical Knight 7-2 (11-12) Close up in 4th, not fluent 10th, went 3rd 3 out, ridden next and kept on same pace, mistake and stumbled on landing last, 3rd of 4, 14l behind Forest Des Aigles (11-3) at Bangor 3m hcp (3) hvy in Dec.
Ravished (IRE) 14-1 (11-9) Prominent, ridden before 3 out, soon weakened, 5th of 7, dist behind Play The Ace (11-12) at Aintree 2m 4f hcp (3) hvy in Dec.
