tracked leaders, went 2nd after 5th, led after 12th, headed 15th, led again before 2 out, soon clear, stayed on
jumped right, left in lead 1st, clear 4th until after 6th, headed after 12th, led again 15th, headed before 2 out, soon beaten, weakened and lost 2 places flat
hampered 1st, in rear, pushed along 7th, headway 10th, ridden after 12th, soon outpaced and lost place, stayed on from 2 out, went 2nd flat, no impression on winner
hampered 1st, in rear, pushed along after 9th, headway 11th, ridden 13th, struggling when blundered 4 out, plugged on from 2 out, went 3rd towards finish
led until blundered badly and unseated rider 1st
tracked leaders, pushed along briefly 6th, outpaced 13th, jumped left and weakened 15th, pulled up before 3 out
tracked leader 1st until after 5th, lost place 8th, last and not fluent 10th, mistake 11th, pulled up after next
This is sure to be a stamina test but there are some dour stayers facing the starter. One is Richard Johnson's mount The Last Bridge, who looks sure to get involved. He was well ahead of Kilcascan at Chepstow last April. Dixie Bull won at Ffos Las in January before staying on late into third at Uttoxeter but Hi Vic has his first run for a new yard and hasn't raced since May. TARABELA has won five times over hurdles but only once over fences. However, she looked as though her turn wasn't far away again at Lingfield two weeks ago and she races off the same mark here.
Hi Vic (IRE) 8-1 (12-7) Hdwy 8; outpcd 12; stayed on 3 out, 3rd of 14, 13l behind Executive Benefit (11-7) at Point-to-Point Owners & Riders C 3m ptp gs in Dec.
Tarabela 9-2fav (11-8) Chased leaders, 2nd 4 out, driven and no chance with winner before 2 out, 2nd of 10, 16l behind Paddy The Oscar (11-9) at Lingfield 3m hcp chs 0-100 (5) hvy in Feb.
The Last Bridge 3-1fav (10-13) Mid-division, pushed along after 4th, headway chasing leaders after 6th, weakened next, lost touch 8th, continued tailed off, 5th of 10, 37l behind Gilzean (11-7) at Lingfield 2m 7f hcp hdl 0-100 (5) hvy in Feb.
Dixie Bull (IRE) 9-2 (10-12) Held up in last pair, badly hampered 4th, going nowhere and struggling in 7th after 14th, headway approaching the last, went 3rd run-in, no chance with easy winner, 3rd of 11, 24l behind Broadway Symphony (11-9) at Uttoxeter 3m 5yo nov hcp (4) hvy in Jan.
Kilcascan 9-2 (10-8) Led, not fluent 4 out, pecked 3 out and last, 2 lengths clear flat, headed last strides, 2nd of 8, hd behind Ballyegan (9-10) at Taunton 2m 7f hcp 0-100 (5) sft in Nov.
A Keen Sense (GER) 14-1 (10-7) Behind, mistake 8th, plugging on in well held 6th when hit 3 out and next, 6th of 12, 15l behind Kings Apollo (10-9) at Taunton 3m 2f 5yo nov hcp (4) sft in Feb.
Phoenix Des Mottes (FR) 33-1 (9-9) Tracked leaders, lost place before 4th, hampered 6th, weakened 3 out, 5th of 9, 30l behind Bathcounty (10-11) at Southwell 2m (5) sft in Feb.
