led 2nd, clear before 4th, reduced lead 4 out, ridden and headed before 2 out, 4th and beaten when bad blunder last and dropped to 5th
chased leaders, reminders after 6th, pushed along before 10th, weakened before 2 out, went modest 4th last
led until 2nd, chased leader, ridden to lead again before 2 out, 3 lengths ahead last, stayed on strongly
held up in last pair, went 3rd 4 out, stayed on same pace from 2 out
never fluent, last pair, mistake and dropped to rear 2nd, not fluent 6th and 9th, headway on inside home turn, went 2nd 2 out, soon ridden and stayed on same pace, no chance with winner
LOUP DE MAULDE failed by only a head at Taunton last time and may well have won if not for stumbling over the last fence. A clear round should see him off the mark over fences. En Coeur won over track and trip in January and has ran well subsequently. He’s preferred to Darebin, who is back on a winning mark, while Silent Assistant was still beaten a long way when runner-up at Fontwell. Balkardy is not without a chance though was due to run at Chepstow yesterday.
Darebin (GER) 8-1 (10-11) Led, pushed along and headed 3 out, soon lost 2nd, weakened from 2 out, 5th of 6, 13 1/2l behind Doukarov (11-6) at Sandown 2m hcp (3) gs in Mar.
Silent Assistant (IRE) 13-2 (11-5) Tracked leading pair, tracked winner 2nd, led narrowly after 4th until before 8th, led narrowly again 4 out until pushed along before 3 out, chased winner, ridden before 3 out, held when mistake and pecked 2 out, mistake last, 2nd of 4, 22l behind Galtee Mountain (11-0) at Fontwell 2m 6f hcp (4) gs in Mar.
Balkardy (FR) 7-1 (11-12) Held up towards rear, some headway before nudged after 4 out, ridden in 3rd after 3 out, kept on one pace, 3rd of 9, 3 1/4l behind Master Mikey Dee (10-0) at Taunton 2m hcp (5) sft in Mar.
En Coeur (FR) 2-1 (11-0) Held up in 5th, hit 3rd, closer in 3rd 7th, went 2nd next, 1 length down and ridden last, stayed on run-in, always held, 2nd of 5, 1 1/2l behind Rose Sea Has (12-4) at Fontwell 2m 2f hcp (4) gs in Mar.
Loup De Maulde (FR) 11-1 (11-1) Held up towards rear, smooth progress on inner from 4 out, slow 3 out and pushed, stayed on to lead at the last where jumped okay but stumbled on landing, headed soon after, fought on bravely, just failed, 2nd of 9, hd behind Master Mikey Dee (10-0) at Taunton 2m hcp (5) sft in Mar.
