held up in rear, some headway after 5th, no impression, weakened 3 out, tailed off
tracked leaders on outside, not always fluent, ridden after 5th, outpaced next, hit 2 out, plugged on
prominent, ridden after 4th, lost place next, soon weakened
mid-division, headway after 3rd, mistake next, weakened approaching 3 out
tracked leaders on inside, challenged on bit after 3 out, led before next, ridden out
led, mistake 2nd, ridden and headed after 3 out, stayed on same pace
prominent, ridden after 3 out, soon weakened
tracked leaders, ridden 3 out, weakened before next
held up towards rear, not fluent and reminder 1st, not much room after 5th, well beaten 3 out
held up in touch, lost place after 3rd, rallied 5th, led after 3 out, headed when not fluent 2 out, not fluent last, stayed on, no impression
It's difficult to evaluate what Floreat and Record Breaker achieved when second and third at Bangor, but Loose Chips and Majorica King have shown signs of ability and Schism won at Leicester before unseating her rider at Newbury. Top Wood won three times in NH Flat races in France last summer and has to be of interest but this can go to VOLCAN SURPRISE. A runner-up in three of his five starts over timber, he wasn't disgraced when tried in handicap company at Exeter last time and that experience will stand him in good stead in this.
Dramatic Victory (IRE) 50-1 (10-9) Prominent 3f, lost touch final 10f, tailed off, last of 7, well behind Hurraboru (11-2) at Uttoxeter 2m mdn NH flat (6) hvy in Dec.
Engai (GER) 13-2 (9-7) Restless in stalls, pulled hard in mid-division, headway on outside over 6f out, led 5f out, ridden and headed 2f out, weakened over 1f out, last of 12, 11l behind Postscript (9-6) at Wolverhampton 1m 1f hcp 0-65 (6) pol (flat).
Floreat 9-2 (11-0) Tracked leaders on inside, went 2nd after 6th, ridden after 3 out, kept on under pressure approaching last, held flat, 2nd of 6, 2 3/4l behind Diocles (11-0) at Bangor 2m 4f mdn hdl (5) gs.
John's Gem 125-1 (11-1) Raced wide, tracked leaders in 4th, pushed along after 6th, went 2nd after 3 out, no impression when mistake and lost 2nd last, 3rd of 6, 3 1/2l behind Ballygarvey (11-6) at Lingfield 2m 3f nh nov hdl (4) hvy.
Kapricorne (FR) 100-1 (11-0) Held up mid-division, weakened from 7th, tailed off 3 out, 11th of 14, well behind King's Grace (11-0) at Bangor 2m 4f mdn hdl (4) sft in Dec.
Loose Chips 7-1 (10-12) Held up in touch, headway before 3 out, challenged 2 out, led before last, headed last, no extra close home, 4th of 11, 1 1/2l behind Gores Island (10-7) at Towcester 2m NH nov hdl 4-6yo (4) gs in Dec.
Majorica King (FR) 7-2 (11-0) Chased leaders, chased winner and challenged 2 out, soon beaten, 3rd of 14, 8l behind King's Grace (11-0) at Bangor 2m 4f mdn hdl (4) sft in Dec.
Record Breaker (IRE) 12-1 (11-2) Tracked leaders, headway 4 out, effort to chase leading pair when not fluent next, soon ridden and outpaced, no impression before next, 3rd of 8, 12l behind Absinthe (11-5) at Bangor 2m 1f nh nov hdl (4) gs.
Top Wood (FR) Kotky Bleu gelding out of Heure Bleu.
Schism 7-2 (10-12) Pressed leader, ridden approaching 3 out, 4th and weakening when lost footing and unseated rider 2 out, in a race won by Ardlui (10-12) at Newbury 2m 3yo hdl (4) sft in Dec, 10 ran.
Volcan Surprise (FR) 5-1 (9-11) In touch, ridden and kept on to take 3rd after last, 3rd of 7, 12l behind Highway Code (11-8) at Exeter 2m 1f hcp hdl 0-130 (3) hvy in Dec.
Ripoff 10-1 (10-2) Held up in rear on outside, not fluent, behind 5th, 9th of 10, 22l behind Gallox Bridge (10-12) at Uttoxeter 2m NH nov hdl 4-6yo (4) gf in Oct.
