tracked leaders, slow jump 2nd, went 2nd 4th, headway 8th, ridden to lead briefly after 9th, jumped left and weakened last
in touch, headway 7th, ridden to lead approaching 3 out, clear 2 out, ran on
held up rear, not fluent 5th, headway after 9th, ridden and soon held
in touch, ridden 3 out, staying on to chase winner and mistake 2 out and jumped right
led, clear approaching 4th, headed after 9th, weakening when mistake 3 out
tracked leader, lost place and behind from 7th, pulled up before 3 out
Almah has to concede weight to her rivals but should be up to the task, with Mckelvey and the Nichols pair Boddidley and Lord Of The Road taken to chase her home. Almah was set some stiff tasks on the Flat after coming over from South Africa, mixing it with some of our better staying handicappers, and quickly made her mark over hurdles when scoring at Towcester in November. She was odds then and has been sent off as favourite on four subsequent outings, winning twice and finishing an honourable second at Towcester last time when conceding weight to the winner Pay Attention. She may well have won but for clouting the last, and back up in trip here, she is taken to make amends. Ex-Irish Mckelvey's task was made easier at Newcastle when the leader fell at the last, and this half-brother to Chives has now joined Peter Bowen. He has the scope to make a nice chaser himself in time and should go well under Tony McCoy. Boddidley was outpaced on his debut under rules at Plumpton so will appreciate the step up in trip, and makes slightly more appeal than his stablemate Lord Of The Road who faded badly when third at Chepstow last time. Robbies Return and Swazi Prince have not impressed yet and the rest are up against it, so we return to Almah, who has the class to return to winning ways in this company.
Almah (SAF) 15-8fav Prominent, led approaching 3rd to 4th, led again 3 out, ridden and headed approaching 2 out, every chance when blundered last, not recover, 2nd of 10, 1 1/2l behind Pay Attention at Towcester 2m nov hdl (C) sft in Feb.
Mckelvey (IRE) 4-1 Chased leaders, slightly hampered approaching 3 out, soon ridden, a length and a half down in 2nd when left clear last, won at Newcastle 3m mdn hdl (F) hvy in Feb beating Leading Man by 16l, 8 ran.
Boddidley (IRE) 11-4 Tracked leaders, chased winner from 8th, blundered 2 out, weakened soon after, 5th of 7, 7l behind It's Music at Plumpton 2m 5f nh nov hdl (E) gd.
Lord Of The Road 5-1 In touch until ridden and weakened 3 out, 3rd of 12, 22l behind Simple Glory at Chepstow 3m nov hdl (E) gd.
Swazi Prince 3-1 Tracked leaders, miskate 8th, led and mistake 9th, soon headed, ridden and every chance 2 out, weakened last, 5th of 11, 7l behind One Five Eight at Southwell 3m nov hdl (E) gd in Nov.
Sleight 100-1 Jumped slow 1st, towards rear, mistake 8th, ridden and headway after 3 out, weakened approaching last, 6th of 15, 9l behind Diletia at Huntingdon 3m 2f hcp hdl 0-110 (E) gd.
Robbie's Return 66-1 Chased leaders, ridden and weakened approaching 3 out, 7th of 17, 33l behind Reel Missile at Doncaster 2m 3f nh nov hdl (E) gd.
Safe To Blush 9-1 Led 1st, soon headed, in touch until hit 7th, weakened next and pulled up 4 out in race won by Simple Glory at Chepstow 3m nov hdl (E) gd, 12 ran.
