with winner until ridden between 4 out and 3 out, kept on same pace
held up, mistake 4th and 11th, headway 4 out, ridden to chase clear winner 3 out, no impression
tracked leaders until 13th, weakened after next, soon eased
keen, tracked leaders, mistake 9th, weakened 3 out
made all, clear 3 out, comfortable
in rear, outpaced 12th, ridden and headway 3 out, went 3rd next, kept on one pace
A case can be made for all of these but there is a suspicion that Royal Native and Desert Joe would prefer faster ground. Finding Your Feet is likely to have benefited for a modest chasing debut at Uttoxeter but KNOCKALONGI (NAP) made a winning start over fences at Taunton three weeks ago. The latter was having his first start since 2012 on that occasion so improvement is expected today. Royal Palladium is facing tougher competition as he chases a hat-trick off a 7lb higher mark and The Society Man needs to find a bit more on the back of a second over a shorter trip here last month.
Royal Native (IRE) 3-1fav (11-12) Prominent, led in back-straight, headed 2 out, not much room and switched left before last, no impression on winner flat, stayed on same pace, 2nd of 12, 4l behind Dream Deal (11-10) at Exeter 2m 7f hcp hdl 0-115 (4) gs in Nov.
Desert Joe (IRE) 10-1 (10-7) Held up, blundered, slipped and unseated rider 4th, in a race won by Chase The Spud (10-9) at Exeter 3m nov hcap ch (3) sft in Nov, 7 ran.
Finding Your Feet (IRE) 12-1 (11-7) Held up in rear, modest 5th approaching 8th, stayed on approaching last, went 3rd final strides, no chance with leading duo but never nearer, 3rd of 8, 23l behind Pure Science (11-3) at Uttoxeter 2m 4f nov hcp chs 0-120 (4) hvy in Nov.
Knockalongi 6-1 (10-10) Held up towards rear, headway before 6 out, went 2nd after 4 out, led 3 out, kept on well from last, won at Taunton 2m 7f nov hcp chs 0-120 (4) gs in Nov beating The Happy Warrior (9-13) by 9l, 7 ran.
Royal Palladium (FR) 3-1 (11-12) Prominent, led 2nd, headed and not fluent 13th, 3rd and one pace 4 out, rallied 2 out, led last, ridden clear, won at Ludlow 3m nov hcp chs 0-105 (4) gs in Nov beating Shinooki (11-2) by 6l, 8 ran.
The Society Man (IRE) 11-4 (9-9) Tracked leaders, outpaced 5 out, stayed on to go 3rd after 4 out, hampered and left in 2nd at 2 out, kept on well, 2nd of 4, 3l behind Richmond (11-7) at Market Rasen 2m 6f hcp chs 0-125 (3) sft in Nov.
