held up towards rear, ridden and outpaced when pecked 12th, not recover, pulled up before next
disputed lead to after 6th, tracked front pair, disputed lead again before 12th, ridden 3 out, soon weakened, tailed off
held up in rear, blundered 11th, some headway after 5 out, went modest 3rd 2 out until after last, never near leaders
led to after 1st, remained prominent, reminders after 11th, lost place before next, soon behind and pulled up
chased leaders, went 2nd after 3 out, soon ridden to press leader, led next, clear last, eased flat
made most from after 1st, headed 2 out, soon ridden and no impression, kept on but no chance with eased down winner flat
held up in touch, chased leaders after 11th, outpaced 3 out, plugged on into modest 3rd after last, never troubled front pair
NonRunner
Several of these have been threatening to get their heads in front including Ffos Las runner-up Astigos and Shanty Town, second on his last couple of outings over shorter trips. Themanfrom Minella is another who found only one too good at Exeter last time and Horatio Hornblower wasn’t beaten that far when placed at Worcester. Paddy The Oscar won this in 2015 but GRANDADS HORSE (NAP) just missed out in heavy going at Ayr in between poor efforts on good ground and he gets the vote racing off a lower mark here.
Grandads Horse 10-1 (10-3) With leader, hit 5th, led 11th until approaching 4 out, lost 2nd before next, weakened into 4th last, 5th of 6, 25 1/2l behind The Romford Pele (11-12) at Leicester 2m 7f hcp (2) gd in Dec.
Waldorf Salad 13-2 (11-10) Led, clear with one other 3rd, headed next, led again 10th, ridden and headed soon after 3 out, plugged on, 4th of 7, 31 1/4l behind Bells Of Ailsworth (11-9) at Bangor 3m hcp (3) sft in Dec.
Horatio Hornblower (IRE) 4-1fav (11-12) Behind, headway 5 out, chased leaders after next, stayed on same pace approaching last, 3rd of 9, 8 1/4l behind Aunty Ann (11-5) at Worcester 2m 7f hcp (4) gd in Oct.
Cadeau George 14-1 (11-2) Led 2nd, headed 9th, reminders next, close up until lost place 12th, pulled up 16th, at Sandown 3m hcp (3) gs in Dec.
Themanfrom Minella (IRE) 9-1 (11-0) Led, hit 14th, pushed along before 4 out, headed approaching 2 out, kept on same pace, no chance with winner, 2nd of 7, 6l behind You Say What (11-1) at Exeter 3m hcp (3) sft in Nov.
Paddy The Oscar (IRE) 2-1fav (11-11) Led after 1st, jumped left, joined 5th, headed 4 out, outpaced in 4th next, soon weakened, tailed off, 5th of 7, 34 1/4l behind Tb Broke Her (10-7) at Hereford 3m 1f hcp (4) sft in Dec.
Astigos (FR) 10-1 (10-4) Tracked leaders, led 5th, headed 6th, led again 10th, headed 4 out, kept on and no chance with winner, 2nd of 6, 3 1/2l behind Misty Mai (11-6) at Ffos Las 3m 1f hcp (4) hvy in Dec.
Shanty Town (IRE) 7-2 (11-2) Tracked leaders on inside, left 2nd at 11th, challenged when mistake 2 out, soon outpaced, rallied and close up again approaching last, every chance flat, held towards finish, 2nd of 6, 1 1/4l behind Spock (10-0) at Hereford 2m 5f hcp (4) sft in Dec.
