in touch, tracked winner 5th, challenged 3 out, kept on and every chance, held flat
tracked leaders, lost place 7th, lost touch 4 out, tailed off
tracked leaders, effort 3 out, ridden and kept on same pace from next
held up in rear, headway 4 out, effort and every chance next, ridden and one pace from 2 out
YOUNG ALBERT has been frustrating to follow so far but he has the latent ability and perhaps a return to this track will push it to the fore. Nicky Richards' gelding has not won since taking a novice hurdle back in October 2006, however his close-up fourth to Prosecco here in January reads well. His subsequent defeat came over a trip that stretches him, and whilst there is a hint that trip does too, he looks sure to put in a big run off a nice racing weight. At the other end of the handicap perches Echo Point, a stablemate of Young Albert. He has had a couple of aborted efforts recently, including over fences last time and it will be intriguing to see how his jumping holds up this afternoon. Monolith has been off for a few months. Len Lungo has his horses running well and this fellow would be thrown in on the pick of his form but efforts this year have been laboured. The same applies to Kempski who has failed to complete twice recently, so a bigger threat may be Manadam. His third to Grizebeck, albeit a distant one, was a more promising run and this decent hurdler/chaser should appreciate the drop in trip this afternoon. Not a race to go overboard with, but Young Albert is narrowly preferred.
Echo Point (IRE) 9-2 (11-12) Promient, driven along 5 out, 3 lengths down and one pace when fell next fell 4 out in race won by Polar Gunner (10-12) at Ayr 2m hcp chs 0-135 (3) sft in Feb, 6 ran.
Monolith 11-1 (11-8) Held up in touch, chased winner 4 out, ridden approaching 2 out, hit last, no extra, 3rd of 16, 11l behind Albany (11-0) at Wetherby 2m 6f cnd clm hdl (5) gd in Nov.
Manadam (FR) 7-1 (11-4) In touch, weakened approaching 3 out, 3rd of 6, 25l behind Grizebeck (11-4) at Ayr 3m nov hdl (4) sft in Feb.
Kempski 15-2 (10-9) Prominent, blundered badly 1st, lost place 4th, tailed off when pulled up at the 6th in race won by Psychomodo (11-4) at Carlisle 2m nov chs (3) hvy in Feb, 7 ran.
Young Albert (IRE) 13-2 (11-9) Chased leader and keen, led 6th, headed 4 out, not fluent and weakened from next, 9th of 14, 24l behind Lie Forrit (11-7) at Ayr 2m 5f hcp hdl 0-115 (4) sft in Feb.
