tracked winner, jumped left 5th and 7th, lost place 9th, pulled up before 4 out
always behind, weakened 9th, pulled up before next
held up towards rear, ridden after 7th, weakened next, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out
tracked leaders, ridden approaching 4 out, kept on from 4 out, took 2nd flat, no chance with winner
made all, clear approaching 8th, hit last, eased towards finish
held up and not fluent, weakened 4 out
prominent, hampered 7th, soon lost place, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out
held up in touch, weakened after 10th, behind when tried to refuse and unseated rider 3 out
held up, hit 6th, headway 8th, weakend quickly, pulled up before 3 out
prominent, jumped left 5th, chased winner from next, ridden and mistake 3 out, jumped left next, lost 2nd flat
The Rising Moon can come good at the expense of Mobasher, Iris's Prince and Dramatic Quest. The Rising Moon was better class than all of these over hurdles, but has not impressed in two outings over fences to date. He was beaten a distance by Hoo La Baloo on his chase debut here in October and then made plenty of mistakes when eventually pulled up behind Julius Caesar on a return visit to the Lincolnshire track the following month. He has been absent since, and you can be sure that he will have been extensively schooled for his return. If Tony McCoy can get the son of Anshan to jump, his class should carry him through. Mobasher was in touch when falling at the 10th at Fakenham last time and he is another that does not look a natural over the bigger obstacles, while Iris's Prince did get round at Carlisle last time but appears one-paced. Dramatic Quest stuck to his task well enough when beaten by Clouding Over at Huntingdon and is worth a small mention, but the tentative vote goes to The Rising Moon.
Cupla Cairde 25-1 (11-4) Disputed lead until blundered badly 14th, weakened next, no chance when pulled up 3 out in race won by Eskimo Pie (11-4) at Fakenham 3m beg chs (4) gs in Feb, 8 ran.
Dannymolone (IRE) 100-1 (11-3) Held up in touch, lost place 8th, behind when pulled up at the 10th in race won by Roman Ark (11-3) at Ayr 2m 4f beg chs (4) sft in Jan, 10 ran.
Dramatic Quest 25-1 (10-7) Led, headed 6th, hit 7th, ridden 9th, chased winner from 2 out, one pace, 2nd of 5, 16l behind Clouding Over (10-7) at Huntingdon 2m 4f nov chs (4) gd.
Iris's Prince 9-1 (11-2) Tracked leaders, mistake 4th, chased leader 5 out, ridden 3 out, kept on same pace from next, 3rd of 5, 16l behind On Y Va (11-2) at Carlisle 2m 4f beg chs (4) hvy.
Kercabellec (FR) 50-1 (11-0) Prominent, ridden 4 out, weakened 3 out, 3rd of 5, well behind The Local (11-0) at Leicester 2m beg chs (4) sft in Feb.
Mobasher (IRE) 9-4 (11-0) Held up, in touch when fell at the 10th in race won by Fullards (11-3) at Fakenham 3m beg chs (4) gd, 5 ran.
Noble Hymn 7-1 (12-0) Mid-division, outpaced 15th, rallied approaching 3 out, weakened 2 out, 5th of 10, 43l behind Sad Mad Bad (12-4) at Sedgefield 3m 3f hts chs (H) gd in Mar '04.
Simoun (IRE) 16-1 (11-5) In touch until jumped slowly 7th, tailed off when pulled up 2 out in race won by The Outlier (11-4) at Towcester 2m 3f hcp chs 0-115 (4) sft in Feb, 10 ran.
The Rising Moon (IRE) 3-1jt-fav (11-0) Tracked leaders, reminders 9th, joined leaders when stumbled 10th, slightly hampered next, soon weakened pulled up 3 out in race won by Julius Caesar (10-13) at Market Rasen 2m 6f beg chs (E) gs in Nov, 9 ran.
Courant d'Air (IRE) 25-1 (11-7) Held up, headway from 6th to chase leaders, weakened before next, 5th of 12, 25l behind Blaeberry (11-7) at Taunton 2m 3f hcp hdl 0-105 (4) gs.
Miss Jessica (IRE) 22-1 (10-13) Chased leaders to 3 out, soon weakened, 11th of 18, well behind Merryvale Man (11-7) at Catterick 2m 3f hcp hdl 0-95 (5) gs.
