led, joined 4 out, headed after next, rallied and led again approaching omitted last, ran on gamely (1 hurdle omitted)
held up in rear, headway 3 out, soon weakened
chased leaders, mistake 2nd, effort when not fluent 2 out, stayed on same pace approaching omitted last
tracked leaders, not fluent 1st, joined leader 4 out, led after next, headed before omitted last, no extra closing stages
mid-division, headway under pressure after 3 out, never troubled leaders
in touch, stumbled and unseated rider 4th
behind, headway 3 out, never on terms
NonRunner
A tricky puzzle to solve as Unison and Peruvien Bleu were both out of their depth last time and will be much more comfortable in this grade. Volpone Jelois returns to jumping having had a couple of runs on the all-weather and is the only course and distance winner in the line-up. Mahlervous is unexposed and making his handicap debut while Friday Night Light came good at Newbury running in his first handicap, though only had half-a-length to spare over the second and is 10lb higher now. COMRADE CONRAD tackles older horses for the first time over hurdles but that shouldn’t be a problem for Dan Skelton’s four-year-old, who buckled down well to collar the more-experienced Monbeg Oscar at Ludlow and is on an upward curve.
Unison (IRE) 50-1 (11-4) Tracked winner until outpaced before 3 out, kept on to take 3rd place run-in, 3rd of 4, 11 1/2l behind The New One (11-10) at Haydock 2m (1) hvy in Jan.
Peruvien Bleu (FR) 16-1 (11-1) Mid-division, outpaced 3 out, never on terms, weakened after next, 11th of 14, 22 3/4l behind Elgin (11-11) at Ascot 2m hcp lst (1) gd in Nov.
Go Long (IRE) 22-1 (11-12) Held up and wide in mid-division, headway on outside into modest 4th before 3 out, well held, mistake last, 4th of 10, 23 1/4l behind Trans Express (10-7) at Exeter 2m 3f hcp (3) sft in Dec.
Friday Night Light (FR) 6-1 (11-3) Held up in mid-division, good headway chasing leaders before 3 out, led next, 3 lengths ahead last, driven and joined run-in, stayed on, won at Newbury 2m hcp (4) sft in Jan beating Duhallow Lad (10-1) by 1/2l, 12 ran.
Blairs Cove 15-2 (11-0) Held up in 4th, ridden and weakened before 3 out, last of 7, 34 3/4l behind Yalltari (11-1) at Uttoxeter 2m 4f hcp (2) hvy in Jan.
Mahlervous (IRE) 13-2 (11-4) Chased leaders, not fluent 4 out, ridden and struggling before 3 out, went 2nd towards finish, no chance with winner, 2nd of 6, 15l behind Waterlord (11-4) at Haydock 2m (4) hvy in Dec.
Comrade Conrad (IRE) 8-1 (10-7) Held up towards rear, headway 4 out, closed from 3 out, challenged flat, led inside final 75 yards, stayed on, won at Ludlow 2m mdn (4) sft in Jan beating Monbeg Oscar (11-5) by 3/4l, 12 ran.
Volpone Jelois (FR) 7-2 (9-12) Tracked leader, led 4f out, ridden 2f out, headed inside final furlong, stayed on, 3rd of 7, 1 1/2l behind Noble Behest (9-6) at Lingfield 2m hcp (5) pol in Dec.
