chased leaders, screwed at 5th, ridden and struggling in 4th when mistake 11th, beaten when left 4th next, went right 2 out
chased leader, led on inside after 10th, blundered badly 3 out, headed and hit next, no chance with winner, lost 2nd towards finish
tended to jump right, held up in touch, mistake 7th, slightly hampered 9th, ridden and weakened next, jumped right final 3, tailed off
chased leading pair, hit 9th, went 2nd 3 out, led next, soon clear easily
took keen hold, held up in rear but in touch, headway to 4th and travelling well when fell 3 out
last pair, bumped 9th, soon struggling, no chance when hampered 3 out, went right next, tailed off and pulled up before last
raced keenly, led, hit 2nd, clear next, reduced lead 9th, narrowly headed after next, stayed on to take 2nd towards finish, no chance with easy winner
Pigeon Island certainly has the ability to win a race of this nature and is 4lb lower than when successful at the Cheltenham Festival in 2010. He may just need this, however, while Marley Roca also returns from a break. It's difficult to fancy Mud Monkey on recent form and both Super Formen and Temple Lord look high enough in the weights at present, though the latter will be worth watching when the ground dries out. Chain Of Command should be thereabouts again but MARESCSOU could be the one here as he travelled strongly at Bangor on his first start for Venetia Williams before running out of steam and will strip fitter today.
Pigeon Island 7-1 (10-8) Chased leaders, ridden approaching 5 out, one pace, no impression, 6th of 14, 24l behind Quincy Des Pictons (9-7) at Chepstow 2m 3f hcp chs (2) hvy in Dec.
Super Formen (FR) 14-1 (11-1) Held up behind, mistake 3rd, soon struggling, tailed off 5 out, 8th of 9, well behind Oh Crick (11-12) at Chepstow 2m hcp chs (2) sft in Feb.
Temple Lord (FR) 12-1 (10-6) Mid-division, headway on outside 6th, went 2nd 4 out until not much room 2 out, weakened approaching last, 8th of 13, 38l behind Auroras Encore (11-2) at Haydock 2m 4f hcp chs (2) gd.
Marley Roca (IRE) 7-1 (11-11) In rear, ridden before 10th, headway approaching 4 out, staying on when fell 4 out, in a race won by Quicuyo (11-12) at Doncaster 2m 3f hcp chs 0-125 (3) gf in Nov, 9 ran.
Chain Of Command (IRE) 9-2 (11-3) Held up in rear, went 4th at 7th, tracked leading pair 13th, challenged between rivals and led briefly 2 out, soon outpaced, no chance with winner before last, lost 2nd flat, 3rd of 5, 16l behind Pickamus (11-12) at Stratford 2m 7f hcp chs 0-135 (3) gd in Mar.
Marescsou (FR) 11-2 (11-8) Tracked leaders, jumped slowly 3rd, not fluent 6th, went 2nd 4 out until not fluent next, weakened 2 out, 4th of 5, 26l behind Fabalu (11-7) at Bangor 3m hcp chs 0-130 (3) gd in Feb.
Mud Monkey 14-1 (11-12) Prominent, lost place after 7th, behind 9th, pulled up before next, in a race won by Baltic Pathfinder (11-7) at Uttoxeter 2m 5f hcp chs 0-105 (4) gs in Mar, 10 ran.
