led until 8th, led before 10th, edged left just after last, headed post
held up in mid-division, not fluent 1st, jumped left 6th, not fluent 8th, blundered 11th, well beaten 4 out, pulled up before 3 out
rear of mid-division, not fluent 1st, behind 9th, tailed off 10th, soon pulled up
towards rear, jumped left at times, never involved, well beaten from 4 out
chased leaders on inside, went 2nd before 3rd, outpaced in 4th when not fluent 3 out, no extra
chased leaders, outpaced 3 out, rallied before last, no impression flat
in rear, pecked 1st, headway 11th, mistake 4 out, no extra next
held up in touch, closed when pecked 10th, went 2nd before 4 out, stayed on flat, led post
pressed leader until before 3rd, challenged after 7th, led next, reached at 9th, headed before next, weakened before 4 out, pulled up before 3 out
Billingsley is often placed but is an infrequent winner nowadays. KEY COMMANDER is only 1-13 over fences but he’s run well in both starts since joining Mel Rowley and has been dropped a further pound for this. Tip Top Mountain beat Not Sure and Franigane here over track and trip two runs ago and lost confidence at Huntingdon next time after an early blunder. If he’s back in the groove today, he’ll be a threat to all but Marco Island is best watched in first-time blinkers after showing little at Exeter on New Year’s Day.
Franigane (FR) 16-1 (12-0) Held up in rear, not fluent 6th, reminder before 7th, some headway before 10th where not fluent and hampered by faller, stayed on past tiring rivals before 2 out, kept on same pace approaching last, 4th of 12, 17 3/4l behind Tip Top Mountain (11-0) at Uttoxeter 2m 4f hcp (4) gs in Jan.
Marco Island (IRE) 7-2 (11-13) Led, went left 1st, awkward 8th, went badly left and headed 10th, already lost 2nd when went left again and lost place next, never on terms after, pushed along struggling in 6th and no chance after, tailed off, 6th of 8, dist behind Sheldon (11-13) at Exeter 2m 3f hcp (4) hvy in Jan.
Fine Theatre (IRE) 66-1 (11-8) Chased leaders, lost place before not fluent 4th, not fluent 9th, mistake 11th, pulled up before next, at Haydock 2m 6f hcp (3) hvy in Dec.
Courtland (IRE) 16-1 (11-8) Chased leaders on inside, not much room on inside and lost place after 3rd, towards rear until rallied on inside 5th, weakened before 4 out, 5th of 10, dist behind Gamaret (11-4) at Newbury 2m hcp (3) sft in Dec.
Key Commander (IRE) 10-1 (10-12) Raced wide tracked leader, led 10th, 5 lengths clear 4 out, reduced lead 2 out, ridden and headed narrowly last, kept on same pace, 3rd of 11, 9 1/4l behind Tile Tapper (11-10) at Carlisle 3m hcp (3) gs in Feb.
Tip Top Mountain (IRE) 10-3 (11-5) Off the pace in 3rd until hit 6th, raced in 4th, bad mistake 8th, tailed off when hit 10th (water), pulled up before next, at Huntingdon 2m 4f hcp (4) gd in Feb.
Cokytho (FR) 25-1 (11-0) Held up in rear, mistake and hampered 1st, struggling before 11th, pulled up next, at Warwick 2m 4f hcp (4) sft in Dec.
Not Sure (IRE) 11-2 (11-3) Prominent, briefly pressed leader before 10th, pushed along to chase leader before 4 out, 2 lengths down 3 out where bad mistake, weakened approaching last, 3rd of 12, 15l behind Tip Top Mountain (11-0) at Uttoxeter 2m 4f hcp (4) gs in Jan.
Billingsley (IRE) 3-1fav (12-0) Chased winner throughout, pushed along and held before 2 out, no chance with winner, 2nd of 7, 6 1/2l behind Rooster Cogburn (11-7) at Hereford 2m hcp (5) gd in Feb.
