prominent, lost place 3rd, last 7th, behind 13th, pulled up before 2 out
not always fluent, led, clear 5th until 10th, headed after 3 out, weakened next
took keen hold, prominent, led briefly 4th, not fluent 5th, lost place before 9th, remote 4th 2 out, left 3rd last
held up in rear, not fluent 4th, headway on outside 8th, 2nd 11th, led after 3 out, pressed but yet to be asked for full effort when left clear last
held up in touch on outside, 2nd 8th until 11th, stayed close up, challenging 2 out, hard ridden and every chance when fell last
held up in touch on inside, driven after 3 out, 3rd and one pace from next, left 2nd last, no chance with winner
Winning point-to-pointer and bumper Duke Arcadio reappeared with a fine run at Doncaster but has run poorly in two subsequent starts and is best watched for now. Fly Home Harry completed a double in lower grade handicaps over the course and distance in November and can't have been right when tailed off on his latest start. Richard Johnston is a very positive booking so he's expected to get into contention but Make Me A Fortune, three times a winner over hurdles, hasn't done anywhere near as well over fences. Azert De Coeur easily landed a Chepstow handicap in November and though not in that kind of form subsequently he's mainly competed at a higher level so should go well without troubling DAWNIERIVER (NAP). Michael Scudamore's mare completed a hat-trick in October on this sort of ground and though well beaten at Cheltenham in December it was in a much better race than this.
Azert De Coeur (FR) 6-1 (11-7) Led, headed 2nd, tracked leaders, ridden to chase winner 9th, outpaced 2 out, 2nd of 6, 28l behind Howlongisafoot (11-2) at Stratford 2m 7f hcp (3) sft in Mar.
Duke Arcadio (IRE) 8-1 (11-1) Tracked winner, reminder 5th, lost 2nd 12th, mistake next, soon weakened, pulled up before 2 out, at Doncaster 3m hcp (4) gs in Jan.
Amiral Collonges (FR) 28-1 (11-10) Jumped left in touch, not much room 4th, lost place 6th, mistake 9th, struggling 12th, pulled up before 15th, at Ludlow 3m hcp (4) gs in Feb.
Dawnieriver (IRE) 8-1 (10-9) Tracked leaders, 2nd after 11th, led 13th, clear 3 out until before next, headed approaching last, no extra and lost 2 places towards finish, 4th of 9, 12l behind Still Believing (11-3) at Cheltenham 2m 5f hcp (3) gd in Dec.
Make Me A Fortune (IRE) 9-2 (10-6) Raced wide, not fluent 1st, tracked leading pair until 6th, mistake and outpaced 4 out, modest 3rd after 2 out, 3rd of 5, 20 3/4l behind Master Jake (11-12) at Fakenham 3m hcp (3) gd in Mar.
Fly Home Harry 6-1 (11-6) In rear, mistake and struggling 10th, behind 13th, last of 8, dist behind Global Dream (12-0) at Leicester 2m 7f hcp (4) gd in Jan.
