soon led, jumped right from 3rd, ridden 5th, headed after 3 out and weakened
held up, ridden and weakened 3 out
held up rear, headway 5th, led after 6th, driven 2 out, hit last and ran on
in rear, some headway 2 out, never dangerous
in touch, ridden and weakened 3 out
held up in touch, hampered and lost place 5th, soon behind, tailed off when pulled up 2 out
held up rear, ridden and headway after 4th, hampered on bend and lost place soon after, driven again for headway approaching 5th, chasing leaders when mistake 6th, lost place and pulled up
led briefly, stayed prominent, ridden 5th, led briefly 6th, weakened 2 out
held up, headway 5th, ridden to chase winner after 3 out, mistake last, no extra
prominent, weakened 5th, lost touch next
Kings Castle was most impressive when winning at Southwell last time and he can follow up today at the expense of Ask The Umpire and Wild Tempo. The Ron Hodges trained ten-year-old had been knocking on the door before taking that selling handicap. He was eased down by today's rider Andrew Thornton, but still managed to come home ten lengths clear of the runner up. This event doesn't look much stronger and he can make it back to back victories. Ask The Umpire was also successful last time out, beating Mantles Prince in good style at Bangor, he should be the main threat to the selection. Wild Tempo should prove best of the others having put in a much improved performance last time when third behind Mr Fernet in a Plumpton claimer. It is hard to fancy anything else and so Kings Castle doesn't have the most difficult of tasks and is a confident choice.
Alvaro (IRE) 11-2 (11-1) Mid-division, mistake 6th, hard ridden 11th, soon behind, pulled up before 2 out pulled up in race won by Solve It Sober (10-3) at Chepstow 3m sll hcp chs 0-95 (G) gs in Apr, 14 ran.
Ask The Umpire (IRE) 9-2co-fav (10-10) In touch, led approaching 7th until approaching 3 out, led approaching 2 out, comfortably, won at Bangor 2m 4f sll hcp hdl 0-95 (G) gs in Apr beating Mantles Prince (11-7) by 6l, 12 ran.
Kings Castle (IRE) 13-8fav (11-0) Held up, headway 6th, led 2 out, clear last, eased flat, won at Southwell 2m 5f sll hdl (G) gd in Apr beating Homeleigh Mooncoin (11-0) by 11l, 10 ran.
Blues Story (FR) 33-1 (11-0) Chased leaders, close 4th when slipped up 4 out in race won by Brochrua (10-0) at N Abbot 2m 1f cnd clm hdl (F) gf, 5 ran.
Cracow (IRE) 8-1 (10-0) Prominent, headway approaching 6th, soon ridden, weakened 2 out, 8th of 12, 35l behind Lady Lisa (10-5) at N Abbot 2m 3f hcp hdl 0-100 (F) gd in Apr.
Kadlass (FR) 50-1 (11-2) Mid-division, ridden 7th, soon weakened, tailed off when pulled up 3 out in race won by Angie's Double (9-12) at Uttoxeter 2m 4f sll hcp hdl 0-90 (G) gd, 17 ran.
Wild Tempo (FR) 9-1 (10-8) In touch, ridden and lost place 6th, ran on well flat, finished fast, 3rd of 11, 1 1/2l behind Mr Fernet (11-0) at Plumpton 2m clm hdl (F) gd.
Fire Ranger 33-1 (10-11) Held up last, mistake 5th, soon behind, pulled up before 2 out pulled up in race won by Lady Lisa (10-5) at N Abbot 2m 3f hcp hdl 0-100 (F) gd in Apr, 12 ran.
