chased leaders, mistake 1st, lost place 3rd, reminder after 7th, stayed on approaching last, not able to challenge front pair
prominent, lost place 8th, mistake 12th, weakened before 3 out, pulled up before next
chased leader, jumped left 10th, lost 2nd 14th, outpaced 4 out, rallied 2 out, led flat, stayed on
held up, headway on outside 3rd, went 2nd 14th, led before not fluent 2 out, idled last, headed flat, just held
led, not fluent 3rd, jumped left 6th, headed before 2 out, weakened approaching last
held up, jumped big 1st, not fluent 2nd, headway on inside 6th, reminder after 11th, close 3rd when fell 3 out
Course form frequently proves valuable at this track and COPPERFACEJACK was a winner here on quick ground four starts ago. He has continued to perform well on three subsequent outings, including a further success at Taunton, and should go close to adding to his tally with conditions to suit. Riddlestown enjoys this track too and also has his conditions but is becoming harder to predict whilst the likes of Bassarabad, Definitly Grey and Grand Introduction all have the ability to compete at their best but equally all have more letters than numbers against their name of late. Therefore the more reliable Mahler Lad is nominated as the main danger for the recently-forged McCain and Hughes partnership. He should have no issues with trip or ground.
Bassarabad (FR) 16-1 (11-0) Held up, closed 4th, close 4th 19th, weakened before 4 out, tailed off before 2 out, soon pulled up, at Haydock 3m 4f hcp (3) sft in Mar.
Definitly Grey (IRE) 20-1 (10-6) Towards rear of mid-division on inside when badly hampered and unseated rider 5th, at Cheltenham 3m 1f hcp (3) gd in Apr.
Mahler Lad (IRE) 9-2 (12-0) Prominent, led 7th, headed 10th, rallied 2 out, every chance last, no extra closing stages, 2nd of 7, 4l behind Onderun (10-7) at Carlisle 3m 2f hcp (4) hvy in Apr.
Riddlestown (IRE) 2-1 (11-12) Tracked leaders, slow 4th and 5 out, driven after 4 out, weakened after next, pulled up before 2 out, at Towcester 2m 6f hcp (4) sft in Apr.
Copperfacejack (IRE) 6-1 (11-7) Jumped well, led, ridden and joined last, headed flat, no impression towards finish, 2nd of 8, 4 1/2l behind Phangio (10-6) at Warwick 3m 5f hcp (4) gs in Apr.
Grand Introduction (IRE) 7-4fav (11-11) Prominent on outside, lost place before 5th, closed next, blundered and dropped to rear 7th, mistake next, blundered 12th, pulled up before 13th, at Towcester 3m hcp (4) sft in Feb.