towards rear, hit 13th, blundered badly next and pulled up
soon chasing leaders, went moderate 3rd at 15th, plugged on
chased leaders, went 2nd briefly 10th, outpaced 16th, plugged on into moderate 4th run-in
soon off the pace in 6th, closer in chasing group at 13th, hit next, soon ridden and weakened, tailed off and pulled up after 16th
off the pace in last pair, closer at 9th, 4th and no impression when hit 2 out, weakened badly run-in
tracked leading pair, went 2nd before 4th, hit 10th and lost 2nd briefly, closer and led soon after 2 out, stayed on well
led and soon well clear, hit 6th and 10th, reduced lead before 2 out, headed between last two, stayed on same pace, no chance with winner
in rear, tailed off 8th, never on terms
chased clear leader until before 4th, weakened quickly and behind next, tailed off went badly right 13th, pulled up soon after
Zolfo is out of sorts and has shown little to suggest he’ll stay this far but Don Herbager has proved his stamina and the Lingfield scorer is one of only two runners on today’s card to have travelled up from Venetia Williams’ yard. Ard Chros might be coming to hand but Off The Beat jumped poorly on his chasing bow and was pulled up. DALKINGSTOWN would not have won at Ffos Las had he stood up but would have been a clear second. The eventual third has won since and Peter Bowen’s lightly-raced novice gets another chance. Chanting Hill also has a squeak but Cudgel is proving hard to place.
Zolfo (IRE) 12-1 (10-12) Led, headed 7th, soon dropped to rear, pushed along 4 out, struggling and pulled up before 2 out, at Kelso 2m 1f hcp (3) hvy in Dec.
Chanting Hill (IRE) 8-1 (11-1) In rear, headway when mistake 12th, weakened 3 out, tailed off, 6th of 9, 25 1/4l behind Scoop The Pot (10-11) at Newcastle 2m 7f hcp (4) gs in Dec.
Don Herbager (FR) 3-1fav (11-12) Held up in last trio, headway chasing leaders 6th, led before 2 out (normal 3 out), stayed on stoutly run-in, won at Lingfield 2m 7f hcp (5) hvy in Dec beating Hatchet Jack (10-9) by 3 1/2l, 9 ran.
Off The Beat 7-2 (11-10) Tracked leaders, slow at 5th, hit 11th and reminders soon after, soon in rear, pulled up soon after 5 out, at Musselburgh 3m hcp (4) gs in Dec.
Ard Chros (IRE) 9-1 (10-10) Soon pressing leader, led 2nd, not fluent and headed 9th, no impression before 4 out, 5th of 6, 9 3/4l behind Seemorelights (11-10) at Ayr 2m hcp (4) sft in Jan.
Dalkingstown 11-2 (11-0) Off the pace towards rear, led chasing group after 10th, closer in 5th before 11th, 4th and pushed along 15th, went 2nd before 3 out, ridden and no chance with winner when fell heavily last, at Ffos Las 3m 1f hcp (4) hvy in Dec.
Grey Atlantic Way (IRE) 18-1 (10-12) Towards rear, steady headway 8th, progress when not fluent 11th, ridden after 15th, one pace from 4 out, 5th of 14, 22 1/4l behind Morozov Cocktail (11-7) at Wetherby 3m hcp (5) sft in Dec.
Cudgel 9-4fav (10-4) In rear, hit 1st and nearly unseated rider 1st, not fluent 4th, mistake 13th, kept on to take distant 3rd closing stages, never in contention, 3rd of 6, 27l behind Buddha Scheme (11-10) at Kelso 3m 2f hcp (4) hvy in Dec.
Ballintogher Boy (IRE) 6-1 (10-0) Mid division, pushed along and struggling after 5 out, plugged on, 4th of 8, 11 1/4l behind No Cruise Yet (10-9) at Sedgefield 3m 3f hcp (5) sft in Dec.
