held up in rear, headway 14th, 3rd and driven 4 out, stayed on same pace
prominent, lost place 11th, 6th when fell next
led until 2nd, led after 10th, not fluent and headed 12th, mistake 15th, weakened 4 out
in touch, challenged 11th, led next, headed 4 out, stayed on same pace from 3 out, no impression on winner 2 out
tracked leaders, mistake and unseated rider 15th
held up, headway 11th, led 4 out, clear when not fluent 2 out, driven out
in touch, mistake and unseated rider 3rd
not always fluent, held up, mistake 13th, modest 5th 15th, no impression, well beaten 4 out
always towards rear
prominent, led 2nd, mistake 8th, headed after 10th, mistake when weakening 14th, pulled up before 4 out
A high-class renewal of this Grade 3 handicap with the weights headed by last season’s RSA Chase winner Blaklion, who finished ahead of Henri Parry Morgan when a close-up fifth in last month’s Hennessy at Newbury. Yala Enki impressed on his return to chasing in the Tommy Whittle at Haydock but has been hit with a 10lb rise. The mare Actinpieces goes well here but she is thrown in at the deep end on her handicap debut. DEFINITLY RED appeared to get bogged down in very soft ground in the Rehearsal at Newcastle but still finished ahead of an out-of-sorts Wakanda and can recoup losses. Our Kaempfer is still a novice but looks capable of picking up a nice prize once he gains a little more experience and he’s preferred to Seventh Sky, who is high enough in the weights at present.
Blaklion 13-2 (11-0) In touch in mid-division on inside, headway chasing leaders 10th, ridden in 3rd before 2 out where went left, lost well held 3rd soon after last, weakened run-in, lost 4th close home, 5th of 19, 7 3/4l behind Native River (11-1) at Newbury 3m 2f hcp (1) gs in Nov.
Seventh Sky (GER) 12-1 (11-12) Jumped left at times, chased leaders, blundered 1st, led 11th (foinavon), pecked 4 out, headed 2 out, 4th and no extra before elbow, 4th of 17, 24l behind As De Mee (11-0) at Aintree 2m 5f hcp (2) gs in Dec.
Yala Enki (FR) 3-1fav (11-12) Tracking leaders when leaving start, in lead when in view after 5th, clear when in view after 14th, stayed on well, won at Haydock 2m 7f hcp (2) sft in Dec beating Vieux Lille (11-6) by 8l, 16 ran.
Wakanda (IRE) 10-1 (11-9) Tracked leader, mistake 5th, lost place 10th, in rear from 12th, one pace from 4 out, weakened before last, 5th of 9, 23l behind Otago Trail (11-3) at Newcastle 2m 7f hcp lst (1) sft in Nov.
Henri Parry Morgan 10-1 (10-10) Held up towards rear, slightly hampered 4th, never involved, 11th of 19, 27 1/4l behind Native River (11-1) at Newbury 3m 2f hcp (1) gs in Nov.
Definitly Red (IRE) 5-4fav (10-13) Held up towards rear, headway before 11th, pushed along before 4 out in 4th, ridden before last, kept on run-in, 3rd of 9, 4 1/2l behind Otago Trail (11-3) at Newcastle 2m 7f hcp lst (1) sft in Nov.
Our Kaempfer (IRE) 10-1 (11-1) Led, headed after 3 out, no extra and lost 2nd place after last, 3rd of 5, 14l behind Clan Des Obeaux (10-7) at Newbury 2m 4f (1) gs in Nov.
Ballyculla (IRE) 25-1 (10-7) Tracked leader, led 7th, headed 9th, reminders 18th, lost place from next, pulled up before 21st, at Ayr 4m hcp (1) gs in Apr.
Silver Tassie (IRE) 33-1 (11-4) In rear, blundered 2nd and rider lost iron, outpaced 11th, blundered 2 out, blundered last, one pace, 6th of 11, 13l behind No Duffer (11-10) at Doncaster 3m hcp (2) gd in Dec.
Actinpieces 3-1 (10-9) Jumped left at times, tracked leader after 1st, mistake 9th, led before 2 out, clear approaching last, stayed on well, won at Wetherby 3m (4) sft in Nov beating Zeroeshadesofgrey (11-9) by 9l, 5 ran.
