chased leaders, lost place after 3rd, well beaten 11th, pulled up before 5 out
tracked leaders, weakened after 11th, pulled up before 4 out
tracked winner, mistake 2nd, not fluent 10th, hit 5 out, weakened next
mid-division, headway approaching 4th, hit fluent 10th, weakened after next, tailed off
made all, hit 8th, ridden after 4 out, drew clear from next, stayed on well
mid-division, not fluent 1st, headway 5th, reminders after 7th, lost place 9th, behind when not fluent next, pulled up before 5 out
in rear, not fluent 4th, plugged on to take 4th 4 out, never any chance
held up, not fluent 2nd, hit next, jumped right 5th and 6th, headway approaching 9th, chased winner after 5 out, no impression when jumped right 3 out, well held when going badly right last 2 fences
tracked leaders, hit 5th and lost place, well beaten from 11th, tailed off
Nonrunner
Pensnett Bay is probably a few pounds too high at present but can be forgiven his run over a much longer trip at Warwick last time and should be thereabouts in this. The Black Baron beat Three Chords by six lengths at Fakenham in February but the latter is 7lb better off here and there might not be much between the pair today. Sound Stage is well handicapped on his best form and can't be ignored but CLOUDED THOUGHTS has more scope and, as his victory at Limerick last year came on good ground, Venetia Williams' charge gets the vote.
The Black Baron (IRE) 2-1 (11-2) Took keen hold, chased leader, challenged and not flunet 12th, led 4 out, went right 3 out, headed soon after, chased winner until before last, no extra, 3rd of 5, 19l behind That's The Deal (9-12) at Fakenham 3m hcp chs 0-130 (3) sft in Mar.
Three Chords (IRE) 2-1fav (11-12) Held up in touch, weakened from 3 out, tailed off when fell next, in a race won by Categorical (11-4) at Southwell 3m hcp chs 0-115 (4) sft in Mar, 6 ran.
Clouded Thoughts (IRE) 4-1 (11-0) Tracked leader, hit 2nd, led approaching 4 out, clear 6 out, headed before last, faded, 3rd of 5, 20l behind Rapidolyte De Ladalka (11-0) at Catterick 3m 1f nov chs 0-125 (4) gs in Feb.
Uno D'estruval (FR) 25-1 (10-12) Mid-division, not fluent and reminder 11th, never on terms, well beaten after 3 out, soon pulled up, in a race won by Arbeo (10-11) at Huntingdon 3m hcp chs 0-125 (3) gs in Feb, 12 ran.
Pensnett Bay 11-2 (10-8) Led and clear after 2nd, hit 12th, reduced lead approaching 15th, blundered and headed 16th, pulled up after next, in a race won by Bally Sands (9-12) at Warwick 3m 5f hcp chs 0-125 (3) sft in Mar, 10 ran.
Master Milan (IRE) 50-1 (11-9) Tracking leaders when jumped slowly 1st, soon lost place, reminder after next, jumped slowly 9th, tailed off 12th, pulled up after, in a race won by Denali Highway (11-12) at Huntingdon 2m 4f hcp chs 0-115 (4) sft in Feb, 12 ran.
Shake The Barley (IRE) 20-1 (11-4) Tracked leaders, mistake 2nd, 3rd when brought down 10th, in a race won by Morning Moment (11-5) at Haydock 3m hcp chs 0-120 (4) gd in Oct '11, 11 ran.
Comeragh King 11-2 (11-0) Held up towards rear, headway 8f out, went 4th over 4f out, weakened 2f out, 7th of 12, 33l behind Jeano De Toulouse (11-0) at Southwell 2m n h flat (4) std in Mar.
Chadford 40-1 (11-8) Led, jumped right and not fluent 7th or 8th, given reminders, headed 9th, weakened after 3 out, pulled up before 2 out, in a race won by Mr Puck (11-8) at Southwell 3m hcp hdl 0-115 (4) gs in Feb, 9 ran.
Sound Stage 8-1 (11-1) Tracked leaders, lost place 12th, outpaced 4 out, soon ridden, weakened 2 out, 6th of 12, 34l behind Plein Pouvoir (11-4) at Cheltenham 2m 5f cond hcp chs (4yo+) (3) sft in Dec.
