held up in rear, good headway on outside when blundered 4 out, 3rd and beaten before stumbled 2 out, went modest 2nd between last 2, no chance with winner
jumped right, made all, came clear before 2 out, very easily, unchallenged
chased leaders, 2nd briefly bend after 7th, weakened 4 out, tailed off and pulled up before 2 out
chased leaders in 5th, outpaced when jumped slowly 8th, soon lost touch, tailed off
last pair, weakened 3 out, never a factor, tailed off
chased leaders on inside, went left and bumped 4th, awkward 7th, went 2nd 4 out, went left next, ridden and no chance with winner before 2 out, weakened into 3rd between last 2
mostly chased winner until 4 out, weakened next
NonRunner
The assessor was certainly impressed with EUR GONE WEST (NAP), who has been handed a massive 14lb rise for his 10-length victory at Exeter last month and comes here with a 7lb penalty so is impossible to oppose on these terms. Flying Verse went up 7lb for a comfortable victory over this trip at Bangor and couldn't handle the extra at Exeter. Muthabir is the only course and distance winner in the line-up having won this in 2017 and, though he ran poorly at Doncaster last time, he won a better class race at Ludlow in January. Kootenay River had some promising form in bumpers though has been very disappointing over hurdles while Choix Des Armes will probably do better on softer ground.
Choix Des Armes (FR) 10-1 (10-13) Mid-division on inside, chased leaders 3 out, not fluent next, soon ridden and one pace, kept on, never able to challenge, 5th of 11, 5 1/4l behind Trans Express (10-10) at Exeter 2m 3f hcp (3) gs in Mar.
Eur Gone West (IRE) 7-1 (11-10) Led, headed narrowly after 5th, led again after 4 out, drew readily clear 2 out, in no danger after, unextended, won at Exeter 2m 7f hcp (4) gs in Mar beating Stop The World (11-13) by 10l, 9 ran.
Zero Grand (IRE) 20-1 (11-11) Led, mistake 4th, soon headed, lost place after 8th, soon behind, pulled up before 6 out, at Ffos Las 2m 3f hcp (4) gs in Feb.
Muthabir (IRE) 13-2 (11-0) Tracked leader, ridden and weakened before 3 out, 5th of 9, dist behind Skidoosh (11-3) at Doncaster 3m hcp (3) gd in Feb.
Night Generation (GER) 12-1 (12-0) Chased leader 2nd, led 4 out until next, weakened rapidly, 6th of 9, dist behind Western Sunrise (11-10) at Newton Abbot 3m 2f hcp (4) gs in Sep.
Kootenay River (IRE) 16-1 (11-2) Tracked leaders, ridden behind front pair before 2 out, well held 3rd when veered left last, 3rd of 11, 28l behind Old Rascals (11-2) at Wincanton 2m 5f (4) gd in Feb.
Winter Soldier 33-1 (11-4) Bumped 1st, mid-division, pushed along after 4 out, ridden before next, never on terms, weakened 2 out, 5th of 8, 31l behind Ardlethen (11-9) at Uttoxeter 2m 7f (3) gd in Feb.
Flying Verse 7-2 (11-8) Tracked leaders, driven to chase winner briefly before 3 out, soon outpaced and ridden, 4th and beaten when mistake next, 4th of 8, 15 1/4l behind Farm The Rock (11-6) at Exeter 2m 7f hcp (4) gd in Nov.
