held up towards rear, headway 4 out, moved into distant 3rd 3 out, kept on
jumped well throughout, made all, drew well clear 4th, 20 lengths ahead 8th, reduced advantage but still clear 3 out, canter
pressed leader, awkward 1st, restrained behind leading pair 2nd, midfield in chasing group 6th, hit 8th and lost place, tailed off 12th, pulled up before 4 out
towards rear, slow jump 2nd, headway 12th, ridden 4 out, weakened quickly after 3 out, pulled up before 2 out
midfield, led chasing group 5th, lost place 10th, ridden after 12th, weakened 3 out, pulled up before 2 out
held up in rear, headway into midfield 8th, led chasing group 10th, moved into distant 2nd 12th, drew clear of remainder but still well behind leader 3 out, kept on
held up, blundered and unseated 1st
midfield, relegated towards rear 7th and reminders, tailed off before 12th, pulled up before 4 out
midfield, prominent in chasing group 7th, not fluent 10th, ridden and outpaced 12th, no extra
prominent, clear of rest in 2nd but well behind leader 4th, jumped right 7th, not fluent 12th and ridden, no extra
held up in touch, dropped to midfield 2nd, towards rear 3rd, in rear and reminders 6th, awkward 8th, detached 9th, pulled up before 12th
It's hardly surprising that Nigel Hawke sends DILIGENT on the long journey from Devon as the eight-year-old won a similar handicap at Plumpton on Sunday by 40 lengths, making all and cruising home. He'll be hit by more than the 7lb penalty he carries here and should follow up. Tortuga Bay also arrives in winning form having scored over the extended 2m track here last month. His only victory over timber was on this track and a 5lb rise doesn't look excessive. Muroor was having his 14th start over fences and on his lowest-ever mark when producing his best run for some time at Hexham and he had beaten Grand Coureur narrowly at Sedgefield in November and is better off at the weights.
Llancillo Lord (IRE) 5-1 (11-11) Midfield, headway after to track leaders after 9th, ridden before 2 out, weakened at last, 4th of 10, 21 1/4l behind Lord Sparky (11-8) at Huntingdon 2m 4f hcp (5) sft in Mar.
Diligent (FR) 7-4 (11-1) Sweating, made all and soon clear, 15 lengths ahead 4 out, in no danger when hit last, unchallenged, won at Plumpton 2m 4f hcp (5) gd in Apr beating Eurkash (11-10) by dist, 6 ran.
Rollerruler 5-1 (11-4) Close up, ridden and weakened 3 out, 8th of 10, dist behind Follow Your Fire (11-3) at Wetherby 1m 7f hcp (5) gs in Mar.
Tortuga Bay 5-2 (11-1) Always prominent, tracked leader 2nd until before 4th, 2nd again next, challenged 3 out, led next, ridden before last, stayed on well, won at Newcastle 2m hcp (5) gd in Mar beating Acdc (11-12) by 2l, 7 ran.
Muroor 18-1 (11-10) Midfield, pushed along before 10th, ridden approaching 2 out, went second before last, kept on but no match for winner, 2nd of 7, 4 1/4l behind Maasai Warrior (10-10) at Hexham 2m 4f hcp (5) gs in Mar.
Istimraar (IRE) 13-2 (11-2) Held up in last pair, never on terms, 5th of 7, 16 1/2l behind Tortuga Bay (11-1) at Newcastle 2m hcp (5) gd in Mar.
Grand Coureur (FR) 11-2 (10-2) Chased leaders, pushed along and outpaced before 2 out, rallied under pressure into modest 3rd between last 2, 3rd of 11, 12 1/4l behind Cybalko (11-1) at Sedgefield 2m 3f hcp (5) gs in Nov.
Nettlebush (IRE) 28-1 (10-6) Towards rear, ridden 9th, slow and tailed off 11th, pulled up soon after, at Sedgefield 2m 5f hcp (5) hvy in Feb.
Iskabeg Lane (IRE) 5-1 (11-5) Slow 1st and given reminder, disputed lead approaching 2nd, led 4th, joined 7th, led outright before 3 out, headed before 2 out, weakened quickly approaching last, last of 7, 28l behind Maasai Warrior (10-10) at Hexham 2m 4f hcp (5) gs in Mar.
Plan Of Escape (IRE) 13-2 (10-5) Held up in rear, not always fluent, well behind from 12th, pulled up before 4 out, at Musselburgh 2m 4f hcp (5) gd in Mar.
Farran Dancer (IRE) 12-1 (10-6) Towards rear, ridden and tailed off after 10th, pulled up before 3 out, at Hexham 2m 4f hcp (5) sft in Mar.
