chased leaders, not always fluent, went 2nd 8th, no impression on winner before 3 out, lost 2nd before mistake 2 out, weakened last
chased leaders, left 2nd 6th until not fluent 8th, not fluent, lost place and reminder 10th, weakened and pulled up before 4 out
made virtually all, clear when not fluent 3 out, stayed on well, ridden out
held up, mistake 2nd, hampered next, not fluent and reminder 4th, hampered 6th, headway 13th, went 2nd before 2 out, no impression on winner, not fluent last, stayed on same pace
held up, headway 10th, struggling after 13th, well beaten 4th before 3 out, mistake 2 out
led until 1st, chased winner, fell 6th
Winston Churchill continues to improve and beat Harry's Farewell easily in heavy ground at Uttoxeter last time. Toowoomba is upped 9lb for last month's victory over course and distance but Opening Batsman has slipped down the weights and showed a bit more when second over these fences on his latest start. Warwick winner Upepito has decent claims back in this lower grade after a fourth at Doncaster but KEY TO THE WEST gets another chance. The latter was pulled up in testing ground last time but went within a length of catching Lost legend at Kempton before that and should go close racing off the same mark today.
Upepito (FR) 5-1 (11-0) Held up in touch on outside, outpaced before 4 out, ridden next, no impression in 4th from 2 out, 4th of 7, 12l behind Royal Regatta (11-7) at Doncaster 2m hcp chs 0-150 (2) gs in Jan.
Key To The West (IRE) 9-1 (11-12) Tended to jump right, tracked leader on outside until after 5th, in touch, lost place 7th, behind when pulled up before next, in a race won by Foxbridge (10-5) at Ffos Las 2m 3f hcp chs 0-130 (3) hvy in Jan, 8 ran.
Opening Batsman (IRE) 3-1 (11-12) Raced wide chasing leaders, went 2nd before 10th, ridden before 4 out, lost 2nd before next, soon one pace, rallied into 2nd again before the last, no impression, 2nd of 7, 10l behind Five Star Wilsham (10-13) at Wincanton 2m 4f hcp chs 0-130 (3) hvy in Jan.
Harry's Farewell 2-1fav (11-12) Raced wide, chased winner, hit 1st, hit 7th and reminder, pushed along before 10th, lost 2nd before 4 out, poor 2nd again approaching 3 out, no chance with winner, 2nd of 5, well behind Winston Churchill (10-2) at Uttoxeter 2m 4f hcp chs 0-120 (4) hvy in Jan.
Toowoomba (IRE) 2-1fav (10-4) Held up in 5th, slight peck 2nd, blundered 11th, headway after 4 out, 3rd before next, 2nd and hit 3 out, led 2 out, ridden clear before the last, stayed on well run-n, won at Wincanton 2m 4f nov hcp chs (0-125) (3) hvy in Jan beating King Of Glory (10-9) by 4 1/2l, 7 ran.
Winston Churchill (IRE) 3-1 (10-2) Jumped well, made all, clear 4 out, stayed on strongly, unchallenged, won at Uttoxeter 2m 4f hcp chs 0-120 (4) hvy in Jan beating Harry's Farewell (11-12) by well, 5 ran.
