held up well in rear, slow 4th, slow again and reminders after 6th, went modest 4th after 4 out, plugged on to 3rd 2 out
raced keenly, led, dived at 1st, clear 6th until after 4 out, headed before next, stayed challenging, upsides and every chance flat, just held
tracked leading trio, hit 4 out, went 3rd soon after, one pace and no chance with leading duo when lost 3rd 2 out
chased leading pair, went 2nd at 7th, led before 3 out, strongly pressed from 2 out, joined flat, stayed on gamely to hold on
chased leader, ridden after 6th, soon lost 2nd, no impression when went left 4 out, soon lost 3rd and weakened to last, went left 2 out and last, tailed off
Kercabellec is a long way out of the handicap but the other quartet all have some sort of chance. Border Reiver is now 3lb lower than when completing a quick double at Wetherby last May, though has been below par since and was well behind Zazamix at that track last month. Adam Nicol's claim all but wipes out the latter's weight rise for a subsequent win and he should go close, but North Stack failed to match the form of his Uttoxeter second when well beaten at Warwick on New Year's Eve. QOUBILAI is something of an unknown quantity in that he hasn't raced since comfortably landing an Irish point-to-point in September last year but Tim Vaughan is hardly likely to have sent him up from south Wales for the good of his health and he could be well treated on his handicap debut.
Zazamix (FR) 7-1 (10-4) Held up last, good headway on inside 6th, chased leaders next, led after 4 out, stayed on well before last, ridden out, won at Catterick 2m hcp chs 0-115 (4) gd in Feb beating Saveiro (11-12) by 2 1/4l, 8 ran.
Qoubilai (FR) 7-1 (11-9) Cl up, 6th 1/2way & mstk 5out, 4th from 4out, prog 3out & chall 2out, ld aftr 2out, kow, won at Rathcannon 3m ire ptp gd in Sep beating Some Dude (12-0) by 2l, 17 ran.
Border Reiver 9-2fav (11-2) Held up, jumped right 2nd, hit next, stayed on from 3 out, never on terms, 5th of 11, 15l behind Saveiro (11-10) at Wetherby 2m hcp chs 0-115 (4) gs in Feb.
North Stack 4-1 (11-6) Tracked leaders, mistake 2nd, challenged 11th until outpaced 4 out, lost place next, soon weakened, 6th of 8, 26l behind Ballyoliver (11-2) at Warwick 2m 4f hcp chs 0-105 (4) gs in Dec.
Kercabellec (FR) 28-1 (9-7) Prominent, led 2nd, soon headed, bumped 4th, brought down 6th, in a race won by Coolbeg (11-10) at Leicester 2m hcp chs 0-105 (4) gd in Feb, 6 ran.
