held up, smooth headway 7th, led on bit after 3 out, ran on well
in touch, behind after 6th, pulled up before 3 out
tracked leader, ridden to lead approaching 3 out, soon headed and weakened last
held up, ridden and some headway 4 out, weakened 2 out, mistake last
in rear, headway 4 out, ridden and mistake 3 out, chased winner 2 out, one pace
tracked leader, blundered 4th, weakened after 6th, pulled up before 3 out
led, ridden and headed 3 out, soon weakened
This should not take too much winning, and Mini Dare has a cast-iron opportunity to see off some moderate rivals, the best of whom may be Irish Legend ahead of The Flyer and Tristan Ludlow. Mini Dare benefited from the switch back to the smaller obstacles when successful at Doncaster in November, and since teaming up with Tony McCoy, has gone close both here and at Hereford. That latest outing, in which he was a close second to Fortune Island, was his first since January, and so with that behind him, Oliver Sherwood's runner is taken to oblige before eventually going back over fences when the handicapper catches up with him. Course and distance winner Irish Legend has it to do under his penalty, but does at least line up fit from a spin on the all-weather, while The Flyer showed a glimmer of his old form when second over three miles here in January. Tristan Ludlow would be an apt winner but he is just biding his time before embarking on a chasing career, and overall, the best claims are held by Mini Dare.
Irish Legend (IRE) 11-2 Held up mid-division, headway after 9th, chased leaders 3 out, stayed on same pace from 2 out, hung left from last, 4th of 13, 4 1/2l behind Comanche War Paint at Taunton 3m nov hdl (E) gs.
Tristan Ludlow (IRE) 6-1co-fav Chased leaders to 7th, soon behind, tailed off, 10th of 11, well behind Spring Pursuit at Haydock 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-130 (C) gs in Feb.
The Flyer (IRE) 20-1 Held up, headway 8th, ridden next, no extra flat, 4th of 13, 4 1/2l behind Turaath at Ludlow 3m hcp hdl 0-110 (E) gd.
Dere Lyn 12-1 Tracked leaders, ridden after 9th, weakened flat, 6th of 13, 12l behind Turaath at Ludlow 3m hcp hdl 0-110 (E) gd.
Mini Dare 5-1jt-fav Held up towards rear, headway 5th, ridden and every chance 1f out, ran on, 2nd of 13, nk behind Fortune Island at Hereford 2m 3f hcp hdl 0-110 (E) gs.
Silver Ghost 10-1 Led, headed 3rd, ridden and weakened 4 out, 6th of 9, well behind Halcon Genelardais at Fontwell 2m 6f nov hdl (E) gs in Feb.
Real Cracker (IRE) 33-1 In touch, ridden approaching 3 out, weakened quickly, 12th of 16, well behind Go For Bust at Ludlow 2m 5f nov hcp hdl (D) gd.
Little Rort (IRE) 11-2 Chased leaders, led after 4th, mistake next, headed after 6th, soon weakened, tailed off when pulled up at the last in race won by Otahuna at Towcester 2m 3f cnd hcp hdl 0-100 (F) sft, 9 ran.
