chased leader, not fluent 6th, nudged along after 3 out, led briefly before 2 out, not fluent and headed 2 out, soon ridden, kept on one pace flat
in touch, mistake 2nd, dropped to last after 4th, headway 7th, ridden before 2 out, soon weakened, eased approaching last
held up in touch, took closer order after 4th, pushed along to challenge and led 2 out, soon ridden, wandered around before last, hung left flat, ran on
raced keenly, led, mistake 6th, not fluent next, pushed along and headed before 2 out, kept on one pace from 2 out
chased leaders, lost place after 4th, mistake 6th, dropped to last next, ridden after 3 out, rallied approaching 2 out, held when mistake last
Red Royalist is on a fair mark and travelled strongly for a long way on his belated reappearance at Taunton. Champagne Court wasn’t winning out of turn at Exeter in December and has since run well again over fences but ECCO is capable of stepping up on his two runs this season now that the ground has dried out with the Nicholls runner 3lb lower than when scoring over a similar trip at Doncaster last season. Improvement is required from the other pair.
Champagne Court (IRE) 3-1fav (11-3) Disputed lead, headed and tracked leaders 5th, led again 4 out, shaken up before 3 out, pressed before 2 out, ridden and headed before last, kept on well, always held, 2nd of 7, 1l behind Falco Blitz (11-12) at Kempton 2m 4f hcp (3) sft in Jan.
Ecco 17-2 (11-4) Led until 2 out, lost 2nd 2 out, ridden and weakened after the last, 5th of 8, 14 1/4l behind Marie's Rock (11-4) at Kempton 2m 5f hcp (3) sft in Dec.
Press Your Luck (IRE) 66-1 (10-12) Rear mid-division, not fluent 5th, ridden before 2 out, soon weakened, 14th of 19, dist behind Cobblers Dream (10-10) at Kempton 2m 5f hcp lst (1) sft in Jan.
Antunes 125-1 (11-5) Well in rear, tailed off 3 out, pulled up soon after, at Lingfield 2m hcp (2) hvy in Jan.
Red Royalist 12-1 (11-2) Mid-division, headway into 3rd 3 out, ridden and briefly pressed leader before 2 out, weakened before last, 7th of 13, 10 1/4l behind Highway One O Two (11-11) at Taunton 2m 3f hcp (3) gd in Dec.