steadied start, held up in last pair, headway and switched right 2f out, ran on under pressure inside final furlong, went 2nd towards finish, not reach winner
mid-division, headway chasing leaders halfway, pushed along over 2f out, weakened over 1f out
slowly into stride, soon mid-division, headway far side of group over 1f out, kept on inside final furlong, not pace to threaten
made all, ridden and ran on gamely, all out
slowly into stride, always behind
chased leaders, went 2nd over 1f out, ran on under pressure inside final furlong, lost 2nd towards finish
chased leaders, ridden over 1f out, weakened inside final furlong
tried to anticipate start and slowly into stride, behind, headway near side of group over 1f out, 5th and no impression inside final furlong
chased winner until ridden over 1f out, weakened inside final furlong
GINGER JAM (NAP) returned to action with a cosy victory over track and trip on his handicap debut. Nigel Tinkler’s charge has the scope to defy a 5lb rise and can go in again. Rockley Point ended last year with a victory over the minimum trip at Catterick in October but Star Cracker has the more recent form having suffered a narrow-margin defeat here earlier in the month. Steelriver has placed at the track the last twice though his losing run stretches all the way back to 2014 but Queen Of Kalahari slides further down the weights and can bounce back at any time.
Steelriver (IRE) 6-1 (9-4) Held up towards rear, headway and edged left over 1f out, went 3rd inside final furlong, ran on, 3rd of 11, 1/2l behind Archimedes (9-6) at Newcastle 5f hcp (6) pol in Jan.
Milton Road 15-2 (9-0) Mid-division, headway over 3f out, soon no impression, 7th of 9, 14l behind Montague (10-0) at Catterick 7f hcp (5) gf in Jul.
Ginger Jam 7-1 (9-1) Held up in touch, headway over 2f out, every chance over 1f out, led inside final furlong, ran on, won at Newcastle 6f hcp (6) pol in Jan beating Your Pal Tal (9-1) by 1l, 9 ran.
Rockley Point 3-1fav (9-1) Tracked leaders, ridden to lead inside final furlong, ridden out, won at Catterick 5f hcp (6) gs in Oct beating Silver Starlight (9-5) by nk, 13 ran.
Lord Cooper 9-2jfav (9-7) Held up towards rear, closer in mid-division and pushed along halfway, headway chasing leaders over 2f out, hung left over 1f out, went 3rd near finish, 3rd of 11, 5l behind Caledonia Laird (9-4) at Wolverhampton 7f hcp (6) pol in Feb.
Essential 20-1 (9-5) Chased leaders, ridden 2f out, weakened final furlong, 10th of 14, 9l behind Porrima (9-4) at Newcastle 7f hcp (6) pol in Jan.
Queen Of Kalahari 7-2fav (9-4) Prominent, ridden inside final 2f, kept on same pace, never on terms, 4th of 10, 2 1/2l behind Encoded (8-9) at Newcastle 5f hcp (6) pol in Jan.
Star Cracker (IRE) 9-2 (9-10) Led early, chased leader, ridden to lead again over 1f out, headed towards finish, 2nd of 10, nk behind Picks Pinta (9-10) at Newcastle 6f stks (6) pol in Feb.
High Anxiety 25-1 (8-7) Slowly into stride, chased leaders, under pressure halfway, weakened approaching final furlong, 6th of 10, 8 1/4l behind Warrior's Valley (9-7) at Southwell 5f hcp (6) pol in Jan.
