tracked leader, ridden and weakening when mistake 3 out
held up, ridden 5th, no impression
mid-division, reminders and not fluent 5th, weakened 3 out
tracked leaders, ridden 6th, weakened soon after
led, ridden 3 out, mistake when headed 2 out, weakened
tracked leaders and keen, ridden and weakened after 4 out
in touch, ridden and outpaced 3 out, kept on
mid-division, mistake 4th, ridden and headway after 6th, weakened approaching 2 out
mid-division, ridden 4th, behind from next
held up, steady headway approaching 6th, tracked leader and mistake 3 out, led 2 out, headed and hit last, no extra
held up, steady headway from 6th, mistake 3 out, led and mistake last, idled flat
held up, short lived effort after 5th
Pearl King gets the call over Stoop To Conquer, Tysou and Ellerslie Tom, with Wee Dinns also on the short-list. Basically this is wide-open, but Pearl King looks to have a light enough weight compared to his chase mark, and with Tony McCoy on board, the Philip Hobbs inmate is the pick to get last month's losses back. The five-year-old has been in good form over fences, but a mark of 135 proved too high at Ayr, and he will be much more comfortable off his current hurdles perch of 115. Stoop To Conquer has been beaten twice on the Flat since scoring over hurdles at Kempton, and he will be more at home here as well, while Tysou is having his first outing over timber for three years, and although capable, is not that kindly treated compared to his stablemate Capitana, the mount of Mick Fitzgerald. Ellerslie Tom has topweight to overcome but has won over the course-and-distance in the past, and Wee Dinns represents the Pipe-Scudamore combination that have been in good form lately. The list is endless in such an open affair, but we shall side with Pearl King.
Ellerslie Tom 33-1 (10-8) Chased leaders, badly hampered 4 out, rallied approaching 2 out, no extra towards finish, 6th of 23, 4 1/2l behind Leslingtaylor (9-11) at Haydock 2m hcp hdl Grd 3 (1) gd.
Wee Dinns (IRE) 9-2 (11-0) Held up, headway 3 out, chased winner 2 out, no impression, 2nd of 11, 5l behind Glacial Sunset (10-13) at Kempton 2m 5f hcp hdl (2) gd in Nov.
Tysou (FR) 16-1 (11-6) Close up until lost place after 8th, rallied from 2 out, went 3rd last, 3rd of 8, 9l behind Dempsey (11-6) at Sandown 2m chs Grd 2 (1) gf in Apr.
Norma Hill 33-1 (11-12) Chased leader, led 6th, 11 lengths clear when hit last, eased towards finish, won at Bangor 2m 1f hcp hdl 0-120 (3) gd beating Speed Venture (10-8) by 8l, 13 ran.
Lord Baskerville 20-1 (11-3) Chased leaders, led 2 out, hard ridden run-in, all out, won at Aintree 2m hcp hdl 0-135 (3) gd beating Katies Tuitor (11-5) by 1 1/2l, 12 ran.
Capitana (GER) 15-2 (11-4) Held up towards rear, headway 3 out, effort next, one pace under pressure, 4th of 10, 4l behind St Pirran (10-0) at Kelso 2m 2f hcp hdl 0-130 (3) gf.
Pearl King (IRE) 11-10fav (11-2) Chased leader until not fluent 5th, mistake next, soon outpaced, 3rd of 4, 17l behind Bambi De L'orme (11-7) at Ayr 2m hcp chs (2) gf in Apr.
Stoop To Conquer 9-1 (11-2) In touch, hit 5th, mistake 3 out, headway to lead going well approaching 2 out, in command before last, kept on well, won at Kempton 2m cnd hcp hdl 0-115 (4) gd in Mar beating High Life (10-10) by 4l, 14 ran.
