held up towards rear, headway before 5 out, pushed along next, ridden before 3 out, weakened before last
held up towards rear, outpaced 5 out, plugged on from next, never dangerous
chased winner, kept on and no impression from 5 out
towards rear, soon mid-division, went 3rd from 5 out, one pace from next
in rear, blundered 5 out, tailed off
held up in touch, weakened from 5 out
made all, soon clear, unchallenged
Hainan’s jumping at Newcastle was still not foot-perfect and he looks worth opposing again over these stiff fences. Baywing makes his chasing debut but rattled up a four-timer in handicaps over hurdles last season. Mustmeetalady probably needed his run at Ascot and has to go on the short-list but Crosspark is not progressing and Flashjack was beaten when falling at the last here in November. WHAT A MOMENT wasn’t beaten far off his new mark at Chepstow having earlier won an amateurs’ handicap at Cheltenham – he gets the nod to come good again.
What A Moment (IRE) 11-2 (11-8) Mid-division, driven to chase leaders 3 out, soon one pace, ridden and kept on flat, no impression, 5th of 10, 2 1/4l behind Sykes (10-13) at Chepstow 3m hcp (3) gd in Dec.
Baywing (IRE) 7-2 (11-7) Tracked leading pair, not fluent 4th, lost place and behind from 8th, soon struggling, tailed off 3 out, pulled up next, at Haydock 2m 7f (1) hvy in Feb.
Crosspark 7-2 (11-7) 2nd until 1st, tracked leaders, bumped 9th, ridden next, lost place 3 out, no extra, 6th of 7, 24 3/4l behind Gold Present (11-4) at Doncaster 2m 3f hcp (3) gs in Nov.
Mustmeetalady (IRE) 20-1 (11-11) Mistakes, towards rear, hampered 2nd, mistakes 7th and 11th, kept on from 3 out, chasing leaders when not fluent 2 out, went never nearer 4th run-in, 4th of 13, 8 3/4l behind Minella Daddy (11-10) at Ascot 3m hcp (3) gs in Nov.
Flashjack (IRE) 8-1 (11-2) Soon chasing leaders, not fluent 9th, ridden and beaten from 4 out, 3rd when fell last, at Wetherby 3m (4) sft in Nov.
Shanroe Santos (IRE) 7-2 (11-12) Towards rear, not fluent 1st, fell 6th, at Fakenham 2m 5f hcp (3) gs in Dec.
Hainan (FR) 5-1 (10-6) Led, mistake and headed 2 out, not fluent last, kept on and no impression with winner, 2nd of 4, 2 1/2l behind Battle Of Shiloh (11-8) at Newcastle 2m 7f hcp (3) sft in Dec.
