tracked leader, under pressure and lost place 9th, rallied to go 2nd 2 out, kept on, always held by winner flat
held up, ridden along before 2 out, no headway and unseated rider 2 out
in touch, ridden to lead before 13th, weakening last, kept on flat, all out
tracked leaders, ridden 10th, no impression from 3 out, looked beaten when badly bumped 2 out, plugged on one pace
prominent, ridden 6th, losing place when pulled up before 9th
behind, mistake 6th, headway to chase leaders 3 out, ridden and beaten before 2 out
led to 9th, stayed in touch until weakened before 3 out, pulled up before 2 out
towards rear, mistake 5th, headway and in touch 6th, weakened after 7th, pulled up before 9th
took keen hold in rear, rapid headway to lead after 9th, ridden and weakening when fell heavily 2 out
mid-division when fell 8th
Ironside gets the confident vote here with Posh Act and Avadi rating the main dangers. The selection was a good second behind Frosty Jak, that form has since been franked and off the same mark here he will be hard to beat. Posh Act rates the main danger on his latest fourth behind Witness Ru, he looks sure to improve but the suspicion is he may just need the run after a 242 day absence. Avadi is another that could go well on his best form, he is sure to have come on for the first run of the season but he looks weighted up to his best and is taken on with this in mind. Ask The Umpire is game and consistent and is sure to run his race but he is another that looks weighted to the hilt. Of the remainder La Concha is from a shrewd yard and is worth a cautionary look in the market but for the winner we return to Ironside.
Ask The Umpire (IRE) 66-1 (11-1) Held up towards rear, tailed off 3 out, 17th of 20, well behind After Midnight (9-13) at Cheltenham 2m 5f cnd hcp hdl 0-120 (3) gd.
Avadi (IRE) 5-1 (10-3) Mid-division, lost place 8th, 5th of 10, 21l behind Ice Melted (11-4) at Towcester 2m 3f hcp chs 0-105 (4) gs in Oct.
Carnt Spell 12-1 (10-12) Prominent, led briefly 3 out, every chance when hit last, no extra flat, 2nd of 18, 1/2l behind Its A Classic (11-7) at Ludlow 2m 5f hcp hdl (5) gd.
Clockers Corner (IRE) 100-1 (11-0) In touch, mistakes 2nd and 9th, lost touch from next, tailed off when pulled up at the 14th in race won by Gungadu (11-0) at Cheltenham 3m nov chs (2) gs in Oct, 8 ran.
Ironside (IRE) 9-1 (11-6) Led, headed 5 out, weakened after 3 out, 2nd of 8, 7l behind Frosty Jak (11-7) at Chepstow 3m nov hcp chs 0-105 (4) gs.
La Concha (IRE) 12-1 (10-12) Held up, headway 8th, weakening when not fluent last, 4th of 15, 13l behind Herne Bay (11-13) at Stratford 2m 6f hcp hdl 0-105 (E) gf in Jul '05.
Point 7-1 (11-12) Prominent, lost place 5th, rallied 13th, weakened 4 out, 3rd of 6, 25l behind Kerstino Two (11-10) at Ludlow 3m amt hcp chs 0-100 (4) gf in Oct.
Posh Act 100-1 (11-0) Behind, ridden and headway when hit 2 out, kept on, never troubled leaders, 4th of 12, 15l behind Witness Run (11-0) at Towcester 2m nh nov hdl (4) gd in Mar.
