held up towards rear, pushed along before 13th, soon weakened
held up in rear, headway 5 out, ridden before 3 out, went 4th before last, one pace and always held
made all, took keen hold, soon clear, ridden after last, kept on well
tracked leaders, mistake 11th, weakened before 4 out, pulled up before 2 out
tracked winner, weakened from 4 out
held up towards rear, pushed along before 5th, blundered and unseated rider 10th
held up towards rear, headway before 4 out to chase leaders in 3rd, weakened before last
held up mid-division, tracked leaders before 9th, chased winner from 3 out, kept on and no impression
This is a very moderate heat but more than half the field still have to race from out of the handicap proper so we'll concentrate on the three at the head of the weights. Red Dynamite won at Wetherby in May last year and his recent fourth over a shorter trip here wasn't a bad effort in the context of this race. Floreana was placed in a couple of hunter chases earlier in the year, but hasn't been seen since falling at Cartmel in July so we'll give a tentative vote to TOULOUSE EXPRESS. Bob Johnson's 12-year-old isn't the force of old and on a long losing run but did finish second over C&D in April and is 6lb lower now.
Floreana (GER) 12-1 (9-7) Tracked leaders, not fluent 1st, fell 2nd, in a race won by Foxesbow (11-4) at Cartmel 3m 2f hcp chs 0-120 (3) gf in Jul, 11 ran.
Red Dynamite 10-1 (11-11) Held up towards rear, headway 9th, went 2nd 4 out until approaching next, chased leaders, weakened before last, 4th of 9, 10l behind King Penda (11-3) at Sedgefield 2m 4f hcp 0-100 (4) gf in Aug.
Toulouse Express (IRE) 33-1 (10-10) Led until after 1st, prominent until 9th, pulled up before 2 out, in a race won by Kristallo (10-9) at Southwell 3m clm hdl (5) gd in Aug, 14 ran.
Appeal Denied (IRE) 33-1 (10-0) Soon chasing winner until slightly hampered 7th, went 2nd again approaching 9th, blundered and weakened 4 out, tailed off, 7th of 9, well behind King Penda (11-3) at Sedgefield 2m 4f hcp 0-100 (4) gf in Aug.
Feeling Peckish (USA) 16-1 (10-4) Tracked leaders approaching 3rd, ridden after 8th, soon weakened, tailed off, 6th of 9, well behind Colditz (11-0) at Cartmel 2m 5f hcp 0-90 (5) sft in Aug.
Kayaka (FR) 14-1 (9-9) Tracked leaders, hit 6th, soon under pressure and behind, weakened after next, pulled up before 3 out, in a race won by Scotswell (11-6) at Sedgefield 2m 5f hcp hdl 0-100 (4) gf in Aug, 7 ran.
Shuttle Diplomacy (IRE) 8-1 (10-2) Held up in rear, not fluent 7th, some headway when left 4th 10th, no impression, soon weakened, tailed off, 4th of 9, 47l behind Colditz (11-0) at Cartmel 2m 5f hcp 0-90 (5) sft in Aug.
Solway Dornal 15-2 (10-0) In touch, headway after 7th, weakened after 2 out, 5th of 11, 39l behind Gulf Punch (11-10) at Cartmel 2m 6f hcp hdl 0-90 (5) sft in Aug.