tracked leading pair, went left not fluent and stumbled 2nd, went left next, tracked winner 8th, challenged from 3 out, upsides from 2 out, driven before last, edged right flat, rallied and strong challenge close home, just held
made virtually all, joined and ridden 3 out, driven and strongly pressed but kept narrow lead from 2 out, driven out and stayed on gamely from last
pressed winner, not fluent 6th, pushed along after 7th, lost 2nd next, soon outpaced and no chance with leading duo, tailed off
Lady Willa ran at Haydock on Saturday where she completed the course in a three-runner event in which one rival fell and she had been beaten a long way when runner-up on her chasing debut. Sacrilege won three times on the Flat and over timber but pulled up on his only start over fences while winning point-to-pointer Will Scarlet was outclassed on his only start under Rules at Exeter recently. Spear Thistle won five times over hurdles and made his chasing debut at Bangor last week where an early blunder soon had him struggling. That race was won by Skint whose trainer Nicky Henderson should take this with CUCUMBER RUN, a progressive hurdler who had no problems making a winning start over fences at Ludlow and can shrug off a penalty before going on to better things.
Cucumber Run (IRE) 1-2fav (11-2) Tracked leader, jumped left throughout, led 3 out, driven out, won at Ludlow 2m 4f beg chs (4) gd in Nov beating Silver Roque (11-2) by 11l, 7 ran.
Spear Thistle 16-1 (11-0) In touch in 4th, reminder before and blundered 3rd, pushed along before 5th, lost place 7th, kept on from 2 out, never dangerous, 4th of 6, 30l behind Skint (11-0) at Bangor 2m 1f nov chs (4) sft.
Lady Willa (IRE) 14-1 (10-0) Close 3rd, not fluent 7th, ridden and lost touch next, left 2nd 4 out, 2nd of 3, 13l behind Bunclody (10-12) at Haydock 2m nov chs (2) hvy.
Sacrilege 66-1 (10-12) Chased leaders, led approaching 3rd, headed before 2 out, faded last, 3rd of 8, 14l behind Rio Gael (11-2) at Newbury 2m hcp hdl 0-135 (3) gd in Mar.
Will Scarlet (IRE) 150-1 (11-0) Tracked leading pair, went 2nd at 2nd, led narrowly next until approaching 5th (water), lost 2nd approaching 8th, soon outpaced, plodded on, tailed off when left poor 4th last, 4th of 6, 46l behind Walkon (11-0) at Exeter 2m 3f nov chs (2) gs.
