took keen hold, close up, not fluent 7th, ridden along after 3 out, ran on but no match for winner
led, shaken up and went clear after 2 out, kept on well flat, comfortably
Mortlach was engaged in the 1.20 Cheltenham yesterday and, in any case, would have struggled to give weight to STAGE STAR, who is still a promising novice despite a shock defeat at Newbury in November.
Mortlach 40-1 (11-7) Tracked leaders, went 2nd between horses 13th, pushed along and lost 2nd turning in, weakened soon after, mistake 3 out, 3rd of 5, dist behind Thyme Hill (11-7) at Kempton 3m (1) sft in Dec.
Stage Star (IRE) 2-7fav (11-4) Mostly jumped well, joined 4 out, hit 2 out, hung left from before the last, hung badly left headed and no extra run-in, 2nd of 4, 5l behind Sebastopol (11-9) at Newbury 2m 4f (1) gd in Nov.