started slowly and behind, pushed along over 5f out, headway over 3f out, one pace final 2f
tracked leader, ridden over 2f out, led 2f out, headed entering final furlong, no extra close home
in touch, driven over 4f out, effort over 3f out, no extra final 2f
mid-division, weakened over 4f out
towards rear, driven over 5f out, never on terms
held up, driven and headway over 4f out, hard ridden to lead entering final furlong, kept on gamely
mid-division, pushed along and relegated to last over 5f out, tailed off
towards rear, chased along over 5f out, never near to challenge
Trance took advantage of what had looked a fair mark to land a handicap here over 1m6f last week with something to spare and David Barron's gelding is taken to defy his 6lb penalty and score at the main expense of Piper General and Efrhina. The last mentioned was brought with a well-timed run to collar old campaigner Mi Odds here over a furlong shorter last month but probably has more to do off his new mark now. Karl Burke's Khanjar is a consistent performer and is entitled to be thereabouts again but may, once more, have to settle for a minor role. Oldenway is slipping to a fair mark and cannot be ruled out along with Piper General, who escapes a penalty for his win last week in an apprentices' handicap at Wolverhampton and is undoubtedly on a winning mark. There was plenty to like about the way that Trance won here on Saturday though and he is taken to follow up.
Trance (IRE) 11-8fav (9-10) Held up in rear, headway 4f out, chased leader 3f out, led 2f out, ridden clear, won at Southwell 1m 6f hcp 0-75 (5) fbs beating Romil Star (8-12) by 3l, 8 ran.
Khanjar (USA) 9-2 (9-4) Led, ridden and headed just inside final furlong, no extra, 3rd of 11, 4l behind Desert Leader (9-4) at W'hampton 1m 1f hcp 0-70 (5) pol.
Nabir (FR) 100-1 (8-13) Tracked leader 9f out until over 4f out, remained close up, weakened final furlong, 6th of 13, 2 1/2l behind Mi Odds (8-10) at Southwell 1m 3f hcp 0-75 (5) fbs.
Beauchamp Trump 7-1 (8-0) Held up in rear brought down in race won by Monte Cristo (8-7) at W'hampton 2m 1f hcp 0-85 (4) pol in Nov, 12 ran.
Oldenway 5-1 (8-13) Chased leaders until weakened 2f out, 8th of 16, 11l behind Wise Owl (8-12) at Lingfield 1m 4f hcp 0-70 (5) pol in Nov.
Efrhina (IRE) 7-1 (8-9) Held up, headway 8f out, ridden to challenge over 2f out, kept on to lead last 75 yards, won at Southwell 1m 3f hcp 0-65 (6) fbs in Nov beating Mi Odds (9-2) by a nk, 13 ran.
Piper General (IRE) 4-1 (9-7) Mid-division, headway over 5f out, ridden over 2f out, led over 1f out, ran on, won at W'hampton 1m 6f app hcp (6) pol beating York Cliff (9-4) by 3 1/2l, 13 ran.
Sovietta (IRE) 16-1 (8-10) Behind, carried wide bend over 5f out, soon struggling, 17th of 18, 35l behind Feed The Meter (9-2) at Windsor 1m 4f hcp (5) gf in May.