made all, jumped left 1st, ridden clear after last, ran on well
held up in rear, not fluent 2nd, headway when not fluent 3 out, unable to quicken approaching last, went 3rd flat, stayed on same pace
took keen hold, tracked leaders, chased winner after 3rd until mistake last, weakened flat
not always fluent, chased winner until after 3rd, lost place 3 out, weakened approaching 2 out
held up in 5th, effort when not clear run on inside approaching 2 out, weakening when jinked left before last
held up in rear, shaken up when short of room briefly bend after 3 out, weakened approaching next
tracked leaders, went 2nd when hit last, no impression on winner
Nonrunner
John Mackie's Kinght In Purple has a lot more to do than when successful at Doncaster earlier this month having been raised 20lbs for that win in a novices' handicap and he looks best left out of calculations in a race taken to go to AHMEDY, who gets the vote ahead of Lightning Rod. Mick Easterby's gelding showed a decent level of form in bumpers and has carried that over to hurdles with wins at Wetherby and last week at Kelso although a 7lb penalty for that latest success makes this more difficult. Farmers Cross has disappointed in two starts since joining Ferdy Murphy from Philip Hobbs and of more interest may be another John Mackie runner, Irish Symphony. The six-year-old has been running consistently well of late with decent efforts when second at Doncaster and Southwell in her last two starts and she can race off the same mark today as last time. John Wade's Pegasus Prince looks to be reasonably well treated first time in a handicap off a mark of 110 but a better bet looks to be Ahmedy. John Quinn's gelding has his first outing over hurdles since winning a novices' hurdle here in April 2007 but he has been running well on the flat of late and he looks worth chancing racing off a mark of 115 first time in a handicap.
Issaquah (IRE) 12-1 (11-4) Tracked leader, driven and lost place before 2 out, soon ridden, kept on same pace under pressure flat, 5th of 8, 6l behind Well Disguised (9-8) at Newcastle 2m hcp hdl 0-130 (3) sft.
Lightening Rod 7-2fav (11-9) Held up towards rear, improved into mid-division 4th, headway 3 out, went 2nd before next, challenged going well last, soon led, ridden and drew readily clear flat, easily, won at Kelso 2m hcp hdl 0-115 (4) gs beating Baaher (10-7) by 16l, 9 ran.
Ahmedy (IRE) 4-9fav (10-12) Tracked leader, going well, led on bit 2 out, soon clear, easily, won at Market Rasen 2m 1f 4yo nov hdl (4) gf in Apr '07 beating Peak Seasons (10-5) by 16l, 13 ran.
Viscount Rossini 6-1 (11-6) Held up towards rear, headway 3rd, hit 5th, outpaced after 3 out, stayed on same pace from next, 4th of 8, 11l behind I've Been Framed (11-2) at Huntingdon 2m hcp hdl 0-115 (4) gs.
Pegasus Prince (USA) 15-8 (10-9) Held up towards rear, headway 5th, led last, kept on, headed towards finish, 2nd of 8, hd behind Little Promise (10-13) at Newcastle 2m 4f nh nov hdl (4) sft.
Farmers Cross (IRE) 10-1 (10-11) Mistake 2nd, mid-division, lost place 4th, soon behind, pulled up before 2 out, in a race won by Akarshan (11-4) at Towcester 2m hcp hdl 0-120 (3) gd, 15 ran.
Irish Symphony (IRE) 14-1 (11-7) Held up mid-division, headway to track leading pair 3 out, led between last 2, soon ridden, headed and no extra flat, 2nd of 11, 3/4l behind Alfloramoor (11-4) at Southwell 2m hcp hdl 0-105 (4) gd.
Knight In Purple 33-1 (10-4) Held up in touch, went 2nd approaching 4 out, ridden and hit 2 out, led approaching last, driven out, won at Doncaster 2m nov hcp hdl 0-105 (4) gd beating Overturn (11-7) by 4 1/2l, 18 ran.
