jinked right start and nearly unseated rider, tracked leader, blundered badly 4th and rider did well to stay on, tracked leaders, chased leader 2 out, every chance next, led run in, ridden and ran on
close up in 3rd, went 2nd 5th, joined leader 9th, led briefly next, led 4 out, ridden 2 out, joined last, headed run in, no extra
led, headed briefly 10th, raced wide next, ridden and headed 4 out, tracked leader until 2 out, switched left approaching, kept on one pace
Hollywoodien is struggling for his best form but is a previous winner here. Dan Skelton has, hopefully, abandoned the experiment of running ALNADAM over longer trips and, only 2lb higher than his last winning mark, the nine-year-old can make the most of guaranteed race-fitness to get the better of Espoir De Guye, who hasn’t raced since second in this race last year when carrying 2lb less.
Espoir De Guye (FR) 7-2fav (11-12) Chased leaders, not fluent 2nd, lost place 4 out, not fluent 3 out, stayed on well flat, went 2nd towards finish, not trouble winner, 2nd of 9, 1 3/4l behind Espoir De Teillee (11-3) at Warwick 2m 4f hcp (2) sft in Feb.
Alnadam (FR) 14-1 (10-4) Mid division, mistakes at 7 and 5 out, pushed along and weakened 4 out, pulled up soon after, at Haydock 3m 2f hcp (1) sft in Jan.
Hollywoodien (FR) 8-1 (11-5) Pressed leader, led narrowly 2nd, headed 5th, close up when emerged from fog 9th, led before 4 out where blundered and lost place, driven 3 out, weakened 2 out, 4th of 5, 12 1/4l behind Cornerstone Lad (11-12) at Wetherby 1m 7f hcp (3) sft in Jan.
