held up, stayed 5th, ridden and struggling from 7th, plugged on under pressure to take poor 3rd flat
in touch, mistake 5th, ridden 8th, soon struggling
soon struggling in rear, ridden 6th, lost touch on long run to 4 out
in touch, weakened after 8th
tracked leaders in 3rd, mistake 5th and 6th, went 2nd on long run after 8th, led and jumped left 4 out, in command and clear after 3 out, easily
held up, blundered and weakened 8th, tailed off and pulled up before 4 out
soon struggling in rear, tailed off when pulled up after 8th
chased leaders in 4th, chased leader briefly after 8th, driven in 3rd and no impression after 3 out, not fluent 2 out
tracked leader, led 8, jumped right, bumped and headed 4 out, driven and no impression after next
Nonrunner
Baron Blitzkrieg gets the nod over Twenty Degrees on these terms, while Mystical Star and Lucky Sinna are others that can be expected to go well if they run up to scratch. Lucky Sinna has been hard to win with and deserves a change of fortune. He gets on well with today's pilot and can at least make the frame. Similar comments apply to Mystical Star, who comes here at the top of his game and make this a good test. He is a previous course and distance winner and is well worth noting in the betting. Twenty Degrees has form with a number of these and cannot be confidently ruled out. However, he needs to post a career best effort and top weight does him no favours in this company. Therefore, it can pay to look further down the racecard, with the lightly raced Baron Blitzkrieg edging preference on this occasion. David Wintle has been very patient with this son of Sir Harry Lewis and, from a mark of just 81, he makes the most appeal at the weights in a very tricky puzzle to solve.
Twenty Degrees 7-2 (10-11) In touch, not fluent 1st, ridden after 10th, weakened after 3 out, 3rd of 4, 18l behind Lord Dundaniel (11-5) at Warwick 2m 4f hcp chs 0-110 (4) gf.
Mystical Star (FR) 11-8fav (10-13) Tracked leaders, took narrow advantage last, headed flat, no extra, 2nd of 7, 1/2l behind Twenty Degrees (10-11) at Plumpton 2m 4f nov hcp chs 0-110 (4) sft in Feb.
Ri Na Realta (IRE) 25-1 (10-11) Held up, stayed on steadily from 3 out, ran on, 3rd of 7, 8l behind Twenty Degrees (10-11) at Plumpton 2m 4f nov hcp chs 0-110 (4) sft in Feb.
Kirov King (IRE) 12-1 (12-5) 3rd of 6, 2 1/2l behind The Grey Baron (12-5) at Charing 3m ptp gd in Feb.
Baron Blitzkrieg 7-2fav (10-1) Mid-division, headway approaching 7th, ridden 4 out, one pace from next, 3rd of 14, well behind Lord Rodney (11-10) at Southwell 2m 4f nov hcp chs 0-105 (4) sft in Feb.
Sett Aside 7-1 (10-4) Held up in rear, some late progress, never a factor, 5th of 11, 45l behind Meggie's Beau (11-7) at Huntingdon 3m hcp chs 0-100 (4) gd.
Denarius Secundus 7-1 (10-10) Behind, stayed on one pace from 3 out, never troubled leaders, 5th of 11, 16l behind River Amora (10-11) at Fontwell 2m 2f hcp chs 0-90 (5) gd.
Lucky Sinna (IRE) 9-2 (10-10) Tracked leaders, led 9th, blundered 12th, soon headed, weakening when left 2nd 3 out, 2nd of 9, 16l behind Joizel (10-10) at Taunton 2m 7f chs 0-90 (5) gs.
