tracked leaders, lost place after 2nd,behind from 4th, struggling after, tailed off
held up in rear, steady headway in 4th after 3 out, 3rd before next, soon edged right, went left 2 out, ridden and hung right run-in, pressed for modest 2nd, no chance with winner
held up in 5th, mistake 5th, weakened after 3 out
took keen hold, headway tracking leaders 2nd, hit 5th, mistake and weakened 3 out
took keen hold tracking leading pair, pushed along and lost 3rd after 3 out, weakened before next
raced shade keenly, led and jumped left early, soon improved and jumped slickly after, clear 3 out, kept on strongly, easily
chased winner throughout, held from 3 out, went left last, kept on for 2nd, no chance with winner
Bumper winner WADE HARPER has the best piece of form over timber with a third at Newton Abbot recently and David Dennis' charge may have the edge on Marracudja in this. The latter won a hurdle race in France last year but was thrown in at the deep-end on his debut for the Nicholls yard when tailed off in a Grade 2 event at Doncaster. Cupachai failed to show much improvement in a bumper last time and makes his hurdling debut along with Bim Bam Boum while Ma'ire Rua does most of his racing here but has had just the one outing this year.
Ablazing (IRE) 25-1 (11-0) Held up in rear, headway over 2f out, soon weakened, 6th of 10, 22 1/4l behind Vive Le Roi (11-0) at Worcester 2m (6) gd in Sep.
Bim Bam Boum (FR) 8-1 (10-12) Raced keenly, held up behind, some headway into mid-division over 3f out, weakened 1f out, 13th of 16, dist behind Miss Crick (10-5) at Newbury 1m 4f (6) sft in Feb.
Bishops Court 20-1 (10-12) Held up in rear, well behind before 4 out, left remote 4th 2 out, 4th of 10, dist behind Altior (10-12) at Chepstow 2m (4) gd in Oct.
Culm Counsellor 100-1 (10-12) Took keen hold, held up, headway tracking leaders 3rd, weakened 5th, poor 5th and no chance when mistake 2 out, went distant 4th near finish, 4th of 7, dist behind Abidjan (11-5) at Exeter 2m 1f (4) gd in Oct.
Cupachai 10-1 (11-0) Tracked leader, ridden over 3f out, one pace over 2f out, weakened from over 1f out, 5th of 7, 13l behind Mahlerdramatic (11-0) at Market Rasen 2m 1f (6) gd in Oct.
Ma'ire Rua (IRE) 50-1 (11-2) Chased leaders, pushed along after 3 out, one pace in 3rd before 2 out, hit last, weakened into 4th run-in, 4th of 12, 28 1/2l behind Otago Trail (11-8) at Wincanton 2m (3) hvy in Jan.
Marracudja (FR) 9-2fav (10-12) Tracked leader, ridden before 2 out, soon weakened, last of 6, dist behind Peace And Co (11-5) at Doncaster 2m (1) sft in Dec.
Wade Harper (IRE) 6-1 (10-12) Took keen hold, tracked leaders, went 2nd from 6th, led after 3 out, ridden and headed 2 out, lost 2nd last, one pace, 3rd of 9, 6l behind Simon Squirrel (10-12) at Newton Abbot 2m 2f (4) gs in Oct.
Highridge Princess (IRE) 200-1 (10-10) Mid-division, struggling before 4 out, tailed off next, 5th of 13, dist behind Dry Ol'party (10-10) at Newton Abbot 2m 2f (4) gd in Sep.
