chased leaders on outside, 3rd 4 out, went 2nd 3 out, led before 2 out, stayed on gamely to assert soon after the last, driven out
took keen hold, held up in last pair, not fluent 3rd, pushed along and outpaced after 4 out, tried to refuse 2 out and lost modest 4th soon after
tracked leader, led after 2nd until not fluent and headed 6th, chased leader until 10th, chased leading pair until 4 out, left modest 3rd and hampered 2 out
led until after 2nd, chased leader, hit next, led again 6th, went right 8th, blundered next, headed 11th, chased leader until led again 3 out, headed and dropped to 3rd when fell 2 out
tracked leaders, 2nd 10th, led next, headed and dropped to 3rd 3 out, 2nd again before next, driven and every chance from 2 out until no extra from last
mistakes always in rear, went right and blundered 8th, tailing off when blundered 4 out, went modest 4th after 2 out
Nonrunner
COLD MARCH was still going well when hampered at Cheltenham last month and never recovered. But he’d won in this grade at Musselburgh before that and should go well again. Al Alfa won at Worcester in May of last year and is upped a grade on his belated return while Orbasa also faces a tougher task then when placed at Wincanton last time. Gabrial The Great and Fear Glic won their penultimate starts but failed to figure off today’s higher marks last time and Fox Appeal has struggled since scoring at Ludlow in December.
Fox Appeal (IRE) 9-2fav (11-5) Edgy, held up in last pair, never on terms, 6th of 9, 9 3/4l behind Loose Chips (11-1) at Ascot 3m hcp (2) gd in Apr.
Gabrial The Great (IRE) 7-2fav (11-12) Held up, in rear, headway 3 out, chased leaders next, never on terms, 5th of 8, 14 1/4l behind Johnny Og (11-6) at Stratford 2m 3f hcp (3) gd in Oct.
Al Alfa 7-2fav (11-3) Led, ridden before 9th, headed last, led again flat, stayed on gamely, won at Worcester 2m 4f hcp (3) gd in May beating Presenting Arms (11-12) by 3/4l, 9 ran.
Fear Glic (IRE) 25-1 (10-13) Prominent, pecked 4th, lost place next, mistake 12th, not fluent 13th, behind 16th, pulled up after 4 out, at Cheltenham 3m 1f hcp (2) gd in Oct.
Orbasa (FR) 5-4jfav (11-12) Led, careful 6th and 8th, driven after 4 out, headed before next, soon beaten, lost 2nd close home, 3rd of 4, 6l behind Ballinvarrig (11-5) at Wincanton 2m 4f hcp (3) sft in Mar.
Abidjan (FR) 9-2 (11-12) Held up in rear, lost touch 4th, no danger after, 5th of 7, dist behind Ifandbutwhynot (11-5) at Ludlow 2m hcp (3) gs in Apr.
Cold March (FR) 50-1 (11-4) In touch, led 3rd to 8th, close up, hampered and lost place 12th, soon behind, pulled up before 4 out, at Cheltenham 2m 5f hcp (1) gd in Mar.
