led until after 1st, steadied behind front pair, tracked leader 5th, led 3 out, hit 2 out, headed before and blundered last, stayed challenging under pressure and every chance until one pace final 100 yards
held up, some headway approaching 3 out, never reached leaders, stayed on under pressure flat
in touch, lost place and dropped rear 4th, some headway approaching 3 out, soon one pace, no impression
pressed leader, led 3rd, kept narrow advantage, mistake and headed 3 out, well there until weakened before last
led narrowly after 1st, blundered and headed 3rd, stayed chasing leaders until weakened 3 out, tailed off and eased before last
in touch, headway from 4th, chased leaders 4 out, challenged soon after 3 out, tracked leader going well next, led before last, hard ridden and kept on when pressed soon after, caught on line
close up, mistake 2nd, blundered next, close up 3 out, weakened next, beaten when blundered last
held up, headway to chase leaders approaching 2 out, 3rd and plenty to do before last, strong run on stands side rail final 110 yards, led on line
held up in rear, headway on outside before 3 out, stayed on same from next
Karky Schultz held on well when successful on testing ground at Uttoxeter in January but disappointed on his only subsequent start the following month and James Eustace's gelding may be best watched on ground faster than ideal with a better bet looking to be MARC AURELE, who is preferred to Nearby. The Philip Hobbs-trained gelding has shown gradual improvement in recent starts and can race off the same mark as when a close third at Taunton when last seen in December so he has to be considered with the yard's runners in better form now. Any market support for Brendan Powell's Benfleet Boy would have to be noted but he looks too high in the weights now following his win at Wincanton last month, while Sean Curran's Classic Dream struggled off his new mark at Cheltenham last time and is likely to do so here. The selection then goes the way of Paul Nicholls' Marc Aurele, who was slightly disappointing on his reappearance at Aintree in November but the yard's runners are in much better form now than they were then and he looks worth siding with off what seems a fair mark for his first start in a handicap.
Benfleet Boy 20-1 (10-9) Led mistake 6th, headed 4 out, driven and outpaced 2 out, no extra approaching last, 6th of 16, 10l behind Beshabar (11-2) at Ascot 2m 3f hcp hdl (2) gs in Feb.
Karky Schultz (GER) 13-2 (11-9) Prominent, led 6th until 3 out, weakened 2 out, tailed off, 6th of 11, well behind Mohayer (11-0) at Uttoxeter 2m hcp hdl 0-130 (3) hvy in Feb.
Marc Aurele (IRE) 4-1 (11-0) Held up mid-division, headway to chase leaders after 4 out, led after 3 out, headed 2 out, weakened approaching last, 4th of 13, 15l behind Sonowyouno (11-0) at Aintree 2m mdn hdl (4) gs in Oct.
Classic Dream (GER) 14-1 (10-6) Took keen hold early and prominent, chased leader from 4th, led narrowly 3 out until headed soon after 2 out, weakened approaching last, 7th of 16, 13l behind Arctic Magic (10-2) at Cheltenham 2m 1f hcp hdl 0-120 (2) sft in Jan.
Helens Vision 10-1 (11-1) Led, headed approaching 3 out, weakened quickly, tailed off, last of 11, 47l behind Alfie Spinner (10-8) at Newbury 2m 3f hcp hdl 0-140 (2) sft in Jan.
Nearby 9-1 (11-9) Held up in rear, headway approaching 4 out, chased leaders after next, stayed on into 3rd towards finish, no impression on front pair, 3rd of 14, 10l behind Chaninbar (11-11) at Taunton 2m 1f hcp hdl 0-120 (3) sft in Dec.
Sonning Star (IRE) 14-1 (10-13) Took keen hold, held up in rear, brief effort on outside approaching 3 out, faded well before next, 12th of 14, 29l behind Ronaldo Des Mottes (11-10) at Kempton 2m hcp hdl 0-135 (3) gs in Dec.
Arctic Wings (IRE) 28-1 (10-1) Held up, headway 3 out, chased leaders next, no impression approaching last, 6th of 12, 13l behind Eradicate (10-13) at Musselburgh 2m hcp hdl 0-145 (2) gs in Feb.
Valento 50-1 (11-0) Held up in last, detached and ridden 6th, stayed on from 2 out, never dangerous, 5th of 11, 16l behind Mohayer (11-0) at Uttoxeter 2m hcp hdl 0-130 (3) hvy in Feb.
