held up, not fluent 6th or 10th, headway before 3 out, went 2nd approaching next, switched left flat, ridden and not quite able to challenge winner
tracked leader, not fluent 1st, led 3rd until not fluent 4th, led 6th, headed 9th, led 10th, mistake and headed 12th, ridden 13th, no extra 3 out, pulled up before next
led until 3rd, led 4th until 6th, led 9th, headed 10th, led 4 out, headed before 2 out, weakened flat
held up, jumped left 1st, closed 12th, led before 2 out, not fluent last, stayed on well
tracked leaders, challenged 8th, led 12th, headed 4 out, no impression 3 out, weakened before next
WINGED CRUSADER (NAP) won very easily over 3m2f at Kelso last week and it's no surprise that Nigel Twiston-Davies has given the green light to another cross-border raid given his charge will be going up much more than the 7lb extra he carries here when re-assessed. Bertie Milan may be the danger as he runs his best races around here. He won the Highland National at the track on soft going last year and made a bold bid to stage a repeat last month behind the selection's stablemate Bally Braes. Settledoutofcourt is another course winner and can't be discounted but Irish raiders Mister First and Russian Regent may come up short this time.
Mister First (FR) 13-2 (11-5) Held up in rear, mistake 10th, headway when jumped right 5 out, kept on to go remote 4th, 4th of 7, 46l behind Harris (10-1) at Bangor 3m hcp chs 0-120 (4) gd in Apr.
Winged Crusader (IRE) 5-1 (11-6) Chased leaders, went 2nnd before 4th, led 7th, clear before last, eased towards finish, won at Kelso 3m 2f hcp chs 0-115 (4) gs beating Viking Rebel (9-12) by 14l, 10 ran.
Settledoutofcourt (IRE) 9-1 (11-5) Led until 7th, remained prominent until weakened 5 out, 5th of 8, 8l behind Bearly Legal (11-5) at Carlisle 2m 4f hcp chs 0-120 (4) gs in Apr.
Russian Regent (IRE) 9-1 (11-1) Mid-division, 7th 4 out, soon ridden, some progress after next, moderate 4th approaching last, kept on without threatening to go 3rd run-in, 3rd of 10, 14l behind Ibetellingyoualie (11-12) at Navan 2m 4f hcp chs 0-109 in Mar.
Bertie Milan (IRE) 8-1 (10-4) Led after 2nd, headed before 4th, every chance 3 out, 4th and beaten when mistake last, one pace, 4th of 11, 10l behind Bally Braes (10-1) at Perth 3m 7f hcp chs 0-125 (3) gd in Apr.
