held up behind front pair, closed up and pressed leader before 3 out, led narrowly 3 out, ridden before last, headed final flight, kept on but no extra towards finish
led, not fluent 4 out, pressed before 3 out, headed narrowly 3 out, soon pushed along, ridden and regained lead last, stayed on well to assert closing stages
close up on outside, pushed along and outpaced before 3 out, soon beaten
GRAN LUNA finished runner-up at Newbury recently despite the unfavourable soft ground and can go one better in this with Nicky Henderson’s yard firing-in the winners. Hillfinch won a maiden hurdle at Huntingdon and there should be more to come from her now handicapping while Litterale Ci has a shout on her best form though is hard to predict.
Litterale Ci (FR) 9-2 (11-4) Not much room and mistake 1st, in rear, pushed along to close after 4 out, weakened after next, 4th of 6, dist behind Trincomalee (11-3) at Uttoxeter 2m 7f hcp (2) gd in Oct.
Gran Luna (FR) 6-1 (11-11) Held up in 5th, headway from 2 out, kept on run-in, went 2nd towards finish, no chance with winner, 2nd of 8, 3 1/2l behind So Said I (11-9) at Newbury 3m hcp (4) sft in Feb.
Hillfinch 4-9fav (11-6) Mid-division, headway and tracked leaders 4 out, led going best home turn, 3 lengths ahead when mistake last, kept on well, won at Huntingdon 2m 5f mdn (4) sft in Feb beating Mad About Sally (11-6) by 2 1/2l, 9 ran.
