raced keenly, chased leaders, went 2nd after 1st, went right and lost 2nd 4th, chased leaders, weakened before 3 out, pulled up before next
chased leader until after 1st, chased leaders, weakened before 3 out
last pair, jumped slowly and reminder 2nd, headway and plugging on when left modest 4th last
raced keenly tracking leaders on inside, went 2nd 4th, led next until pushed along before 2 out, ridden and well held between last 2, weakened into 3rd towards finish
led until 5th, chased leader, in front again before 2 out, stayed on well
held up, went left 1st, towards rear, headway before 3 out, challenging for 3rd when mistake and unseated rider last
held up in rear, bumped 1st, steady headway 5th, tracking leaders in 3rd 4 out, hit 3 out, went 2nd towards finish, no chance with winner
in touch until lost place before 5th, tailed off next, pulled up before 3 out
Rikoboy only weakened after jumping the last when last seen at Market Rasen in February and the French import would be the form pick on that form. Black Abbey placed at Fontwell and Newcastle at the turn of the year so has claims but Highway One is 0-26, though Richard Johnson rides. Ardlair makes his hurdling debut after one run in a bumper but we’ll take a chance on the fitness of CHERRY COLA as she was third in a maiden at Doncaster in March having won three times on the Flat last year.
Ardlair 11-1 (10-12) Held up towards rear, some headway on outside 7f out, struggling over 3f out, 11th of 12, dist behind Ultimate Getaway (11-0) at Southwell 2m (5) gd in Jul.
Black Abbey (FR) 16-1 (10-12) Close up, lost place 3rd, in rear 5th, 11th of 12, dist behind Nebuchadnezzar (11-4) at Fakenham 2m hcp (3) gd in Mar.
Presenting Yeats (IRE) 20-1 (10-11) Mistakes, always behind, 10th of 11, 32 1/4l behind Calum Gilhooley (11-4) at Newton Abbot 2m 2f (3) gd in Sep.
Rikoboy (FR) 6-1 (10-12) Led, shaken up before last, kept on until ridden and headed flat, no extra in 4th towards finish, 4th of 7, 4l behind Yellow Tiger (10-12) at Market Rasen 2m 1f (4) sft in Feb.
Zarrar (IRE) 5-1 (9-9) Led, went clear over 2f out, reduced lead and ridden over 1f out, headed final 100 yards, lost 2nd final strides, 3rd of 10, 1 3/4l behind Bartholomew J (9-10) at Chelmsford City 1m 6f hcp (6) pol in Mar.
Cherry Cola 16-1 (10-12) Raced keenly in rear, steady headway approaching 3 out, switched right approaching next, disputing well held 2nd when went left and hit last, weakened run-in, 3rd of 8, 7 3/4l behind Champagne Terri (10-12) at Doncaster 2m 1f mdn fll (5) gd in Mar.
Highway One (USA) 17-2 (10-5) Held up off the pace in 4th, headway on heels of leaders when hampered 4 out, driven along after next, plugged on in modest 3rd between last 2, 3rd of 9, 12 1/2l behind Hasanabad (10-12) at Southwell 2m mdn (4) gd in Sep.
Rocksette 16-1 (9-7) Slowly away, in rear, well behind final 4f, last of 10, dist behind Whitehaven (9-0) at Lingfield 1m 2f stks (6) gs in Aug.