led, ridden before 9th, headed 5 out, soon weakened
held up towards rear, jumped well, headway from halfway, went 2nd 5 out, led 2 out, drew clear before last, very easily
always in rear, jumped slowly throughout, pulled up before 2 out
in touch, under pressure 10th, soon lost place, behind when pulled up before 2 out
tracked leader, weakened 4 out
tracked leaders, led 5 out, headed 2 out, soon weakened
held up towards rear, headway 5 out, chased leaders 3 out, weakened after next
held up, blundered 7th, soon in rear, headway 4 out, never on terms, moderate 4th
Riskier won here and at Newcastle in the spring and defied a long absence and an 8lb rise to make all at Hexham last month for which he's been raised another 7lb. Tahiti Pearl has five chase victories to his credit, four of them on this track, though he struggled at the weights here last time. Silver Roque won a handicap in this class at Newbury in March and though well beaten in two subsequent runs both were in much better class events. STAGECOACH PEARL didn't cut much ice in a class 2 handicap at Aintree last month but his earlier second at this level behind Lucky Landing at Wetherby, when Granville Island was behind, should be good enough for this.
Stagecoach Pearl 3-1 (11-5) Led until 4th, led next, headed 6th, lost place when hit 4 out, well beaten 3 out, last of 7, 31l behind Eastlake (11-8) at Aintree 2m hcp chs 0-145 (2) gd in Oct.
Silver Roque (FR) 13-2 (10-13) In rear, ridden before 2 out, never a factor, 7th of 9, 50l behind Quincy Des Pictons (10-12) at Perth 2m 4f hcp chs 0-150 (2) gs in Apr.
Divers (FR) 7-1 (11-7) Held up in rear, pushed along after 8th, well beaten 12th, 9th of 10, well behind Micheal Flips (11-7) at Ludlow 2m 4f hcp chs 0-140 (3) gd in Apr.
Finger Onthe Pulse (IRE) 28-1 (9-9) Tracked leaders on outside, challenged 3rd, lost place before 2 out, 9th of 16, 22l behind Johns Spirit (10-3) at Cheltenham 2m 4f hcp chs (2) gd in Oct.
Riskier 2-1 (11-12) Made all, jumped well, drew clear after 2 out, ran on strongly, easily, won at Hexham 2m hcp chs 0-120 (4) gs in Oct beating Mulligan's Man (11-6) by 9l, 4 ran.
Tahiti Pearl (IRE) 3-1 (12-4) Led, joined 7th, ridden and headed before last, soon weakened, 4th of 7, 16l behind Rudigreen (10-0) at Sedgefield 2m 4f hcp chs 0-120 (4) gd in May.
Granville Island (IRE) 8-1 (11-1) Held up mid-division, headway before 4 out, went 3rd 2 out, one pace, 4th of 10, 6l behind Lucky Landing (11-7) at Wetherby 2m hcp chs 0-135 (3) gd in Oct.
Sublime Talent (IRE) 10-3 (11-9) Mistake 1st, always behind, tailed off and pulled up, in a race won by Fiftyonefiftyone (11-5) at Newton Abbot 2m hcp chs 0-120 (4) gf in May, 8 ran.
