in touch in 4th, reminders before 5th, weakened before 10th, mistake 11th, tailed off
tracked leaders, disputing 3rd blundered badly 2nd, pulled up before next
led, ridden and headed before last, no extra
held up mid-division, went 3rd before 6th, ridden before 2 out, no extra from last
in rear, went 4th before 10th, headway before 2 out, ridden and every chance last, no extra towards finish
towards rear, headway from 2 out, led before last, kept on well towards finish
tracked leader, ridden and weakened before last
AP McCoy doesn't travel to Sedgefield that often but has a terrific strike rate when he does turn up and SPEAR THISTLE was his only booked mount at the overnight stage. Jim Best's 10-year-old hasn't raced since winning a novice chase at Plumpton in December but will love the ground and may well be progressive enough to concede weight to more exposed rivals. The best of those may be Deuteronomy, who is a pound out of the handicap but was second over C&D four weeks ago. Karingreason appears to be running into form again and should make the frame, but did finish behind Cool Operator at Market Rasen recently while this trip has proved beyond Carrietau in the past. Kent Street's stable has gone off the boil a little lately so March's C&D winner Along Came Rosie may be best of the rest.
Spear Thistle 5-1 (11-0) 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, won at Plumpton 2m 1f nov chs (3) sft in Dec beating Cucumber Run (11-4) by hd, 3 ran.
Kent Street (IRE) 7-4fav (11-0) Led until approaching 4 out, remained proinent, every chance 2 out, weakened last, 2nd of 11, 4l behind Hidden (11-1) at Hexham 2m nh nov hdl (4) gd in Mar.
Carrietau 9-1 (11-8) Led until 5th, chased leaders after, under pressure 2 out, stayed on well closing stages, 3rd of 8, 3 1/2l behind Kilkenny All Star (10-10) at Sedgefield 2m hcp chs 0-120 (4) gs in Apr.
Cool Operator 9-2 (11-5) Tracked leaders, pushed along after 7th, reminders before next, one pace from 3 out, 3rd of 6, 7l behind O Crotaigh (11-8) at Market Rasen 2m 6f hcp chs 0-120 (4) gd in Mar.
Karingreason 12-1 (11-12) Chased leaders, pushed along after 4 out, soon challenging, kept on same pace from 2 out, 2nd of 6, 2 1/4l behind Noble Legend (11-2) at Southwell 2m 4f hcp chs 0-105 (4) sft in Apr.
Along Came Rosie 9-2 (11-1) In rear, pushed along after 10th, ridden after next, behind 4 out, tailed off, 5th of 6, 48l behind Overyou (11-3) at Kelso 2m 6f hcp chs 0-120 (4) gd in Apr.
Deuteronomy (IRE) 11-4 (10-0) Led, ridden and headed before last, kept on, 2nd of 5, 3l behind Fred Bojangals (11-7) at Sedgefield 2m 4f hcp chs 0-120 (4) sft in Apr.
