in rear, closed on leaders 8th, went 2nd after 3 out, led on landing next, ridden and ran on flat
keen led 2nd, ridden and headed 3 out, weakened last
raced in last place, mistake 8th, ridden 3 out, effort last, stayed on to go 2nd close home
led, headed 2nd, chased leader and mistake next, ridden 4 out, led next, ridden and headed on landing 2 out, kept on one pace and lost 2nd close home
close up, ridden 3 out, kept on one pace
Nonrunner
Canni Thinkaar showed no improvement reverting to hurdling off a lower mark last time, but Lady Willa took advantage of drop in the weights when scoring at Chepstow last month. She's 5lb higher today and will need to improve again and preference goes to RUSSIAN CONQUEST. He's now won two of his last four starts over fences having beaten a subsequent winner at Warwick last month and can follow-up off a 3lb higher mark. Marleno was pulled-up on his latest start but still makes more appeal than Nozic and Barton Cliche on his earlier fourth at Taunton.
Nozic (FR) 40-1 (10-11) Headway to track leaders when mistake 2nd, went 2nd after 8th, led when hit 10th, headed 12th, jumped slowly 15th, weakened next, tailed off when pulled up before 2 out, in a race won by Reblis (10-10) at Sandown 3m hcp chs 0-125 (3) gd in Feb, 11 ran.
Marleno (GER) 9-2fav (10-1) Took keen hold, pressed winner until not fluent 6th, mistake 7th, weakened approaching 4 out, pulled up before 3 out, in a race won by Storm Surge (9-7) at Haydock 2m hcp chs 0-135 (3) hvy in Dec, 9 ran.
Barton Cliche 40-1 (10-7) Held up in touch, effort 3 out,soon weakened, 6th of 11, 16l behind Topolski (11-6) at Newton Abbot 2m 1f nh nov hdl (4) gs in Mar '11.
Russian Conquest 7-2 (11-3) Made all, under pressure last, ridden run-in, kept on, won at Warwick 2m hcp ch 0-110 (4) gd in Feb beating Fighting Chance (11-12) by 1 1/4l, 5 ran.
Lady Willa (IRE) 4-1 (11-9) With leader, led narrowly 2nd, made rest, hard pressed 3 out, ridden and stayed on under pressure flat, won at Chepstow 2m hcp chs 0-95 (5) sft in Feb beating Kinkeel (10-3) by 2l, 8 ran.
Canni Thinkaar (IRE) 12-1 (10-13) Led, clear after 1st, hit 5th, reduced lead approaching 7th, hit next, hit 3 out, soon headed and dropped to 3rd, no chance with leading duo when blundered last, weakened soon after, 5th of 9, 22l behind Lady Karabaya (11-5) at Folkestone 2m 6f hcp hdl 0-110 (4) gd in Feb.
