led, careful 6th and 8th, driven after 4 out, headed before next, soon beaten, lost 2nd close home
tracked leader, slow 1st, not fluent 2nd, last 4th, hit next, struggling 10th, behind 13th, 18 lengths 3rd when blundered 2 out, ran on flat, went 2nd close home, no impression on winner
tracked leaders, 2nd from 4th, mistake 6th, led before 3 out, soon clear, ridden out
in rear, 3rd after 4th, dropped off front pair 10th, well beaten from 13th
Ballinvarrig finally took advantage of a tumbling mark to win at Leicester last month but he’s gone back up in the weights since and consistency hasn’t been one of his strong points in recent years. Uhlan Bute may well have won at Kempton in November had he not unseated his rider but he’s not reproduced that form in either starts since. Raajih appears to have lost the plot so we’ll take ORBASA to get back on track. Paul Nicholls’ charge was still beaten more than 20 lengths when second here last time but it shouldn’t be forgotten that he ran Definitly Red to a length off this mark at Ayr last spring.
Orbasa (FR) 4-1jfav (11-2) Mid-division when field came into view 6th, chased leaders when came back into view again briefly 4 out, went 2nd next, no chance with winner, 2nd of 8, 22l behind Walk In The Mill (10-8) at Wincanton 2m 4f hcp (2) sft in Jan.
Uhlan Bute (FR) 8-1 (11-8) Held up in rear, never involved, left remote 4th last, 4th of 7, dist behind Sir Note (11-12) at Kempton 2m 4f hcp (3) gd in Feb.
Ballinvarrig (IRE) 5-1 (11-7) Prominent, led after 8th, headed next, led 10th, clear from 2 out, ridden out, won at Leicester 2m 4f hcp (4) gs in Feb beating Mister Grez (11-12) by 14l, 8 ran.
Raajih 40-1 (11-12) In rear, not fluent 6th, struggling 11th, behind 13th, pulled up before 3 out, at Wincanton 2m 4f hcp (3) sft in Feb.
