chased leaders, blundered 2nd, led 2 out, jumped left last, all out
soon chasing leader, led 5 out, ridden and headed 3 out, one pace from 2 out
held up, lost place 4 out
struggling from 9th
chased leaders, in 4th when blundered 2 out, chased winner last, stayed on
led, soon clear, headed 5 out, soon weakened
always behind, hit 7th, soon struggling, pulled up before 4 out
held up, headway 8th, led 3 out, blundered and headed 2 out, weakened flat
Sparkling Taff gets the vote here ahead of Spiritual Society and Karoo. Sparkling Taff showed improved form to win over two-and-a-half miles last time but, judged by the way that he scrambled home, the drop in trip could well suit and, for us, he is the one to beat. Spiritual Society is reasonably weighted based on his best pieces of British chasing and Irish hurdling form, but Femme d'Avril has yet to build on her Hereford win in February. Karoo holds place claims based on his Hereford win of two runs ago, while Lonesome Man will have to turn the clock back to 2005 if he is to feature. Kids Inheritance has not been running strongly of late, Travello's best recent form has come in sellers, while No Greater Love needs to build on his chasing debut run last time out. Once again, then, the selection is Sparkling Taff.
Kids Inheritance (IRE) 7-1 (10-3) Held up in touch, lost place after 4 out, last of 7, 19l behind Three Mirrors (10-0) at Wetherby 2m 4f hcp chs 0-135 (3) gf in Apr.
Sparkling Taff 4-1 (10-10) Led after 1st, ridden 3 out, not fluent next, all out, won at Ayr 2m 4f nov hcp chs 0-115 (3) gf in Apr beating Insurgent (10-5) by a shd, 5 ran.
Spiritual Society (IRE) 7-2 (10-13) Pulled hard in 4th, hit 3rd, mistake, dropped to last 6th, stayed on again after 3 out, went poor 3rd last, 3rd of 5, 18l behind Surfboard (10-11) at Plumpton 2m 1f nov hcp chs 0-110 (4) gf in Apr.
Moorlaw (IRE) 9-2 (11-7) Tracked leaders, lost place 6th, reminders 8th, soon beaten, 5th of 6, 21l behind Haunted House (11-12) at Ludlow 2m nov hcp chs 0-100 (4) gs in Jan.
Karoo 6-1 (10-4) Tracked leaders and jumped left, weakened 4 out and pulled up in race won by Lyon (10-2) at Hereford 2m 3f nov hcp chs 0-110 (4) gf in Apr, 10 ran.
Travello (GER) 2-1jt-fav (11-9) Chased leader, led 7th until 9th, ridden after 4 out, beaten from next, 4th of 5, 11l behind Native Commander (11-12) at Fontwell 2m 2f sll hcp chs 0-90 (5) gf in Apr.
No Greater Love (FR) 5-2 (10-6) Raced keenly, led after 1st, headed after 3 out, weakened approaching last, 2nd of 5, 18l behind Bollitree Bob (9-10) at Huntingdon 2m nov hcp chs 0-105 (4) gf in Apr.
Femme D'avril (FR) 11-2 (11-11) Chasing leaders until jumped slowly and lost place 4th, went poor 3rd approaching 2 out, no chance with front pair, 3rd of 7, 23l behind Pan The Man (11-9) at Plumpton 2m 4f sll hcp chs 0-100 (4) gf in Apr.
