held up in mid-division, chased leaders approaching 4 out, kept on on same pace
tracked leader, led from 2nd, headed 5th, lost place 11th, weakened approaching 5 out, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out
tracked leaders in 3rd, led 5th, pecked 4 out, headed next, weakened from last
towards rear, headway approaching 3 out, kept on to lead near finish
mid-division, in 6th when blundered and unseated rider 12th
tracked leaders, fell 4th
held up in rear, reminders throughout, never dangerous
held up towards rear, never dangerous, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out
in touch, chased leaders 9th, went 3rd 2 out, no impression on leading pair
always towards rear, pulled up before 3 out
led to 2nd, weakened 3 out, pulled up before 2 out
held up towards rear, hampered and unseated rider 4th
always towards rear, tailed off when pulled up before 4 out
held up towards rear,headway 4 out, hit 2 out,in 5th when not fluent last, one pace
mid-division, went 2nd at 11th, led 3 out, kept on and headed near finish
held up in touch, mistake 10th, soon lost place, pulled up before 3 out
Nonrunner
CATEGORICAL gets the vote ahead of Ma Yahab and Appleaday in a wide open handicap chase. Keith Reveley's charge won very nicely last time, his second consecutive success, and an 11lb rise may not prevent the follow-up. He's had plenty of racing for one of his age and has proved remarkably consistent through the years and the horse deserves his current success, but it must be said there has to be a concern about his ability to see out this trip on heavy ground. He's won over it on good though and wasn't stopping, so we'll take a chance in a race full of imponderables. Ma Yahab had looked weighted to the hilt before running an absolute blinder at Cheltenham and if he brings that form here he'd have strong claims off the same mark. He's been placed more often than not over fences and has won under similar conditions, so hailing as he does from a strong yard this one will attract his share of support and rightly so. He's just preferred to Appleaday of the rest, with Paul Webber's runner having solid claims of his own back down to his latest winning mark and with conditions ideal. Buffalo Bob went close to landing a real gamble two weeks ago in finding only Carrickmines too good but surely there has to be a concern that this race will come too soon, more so than his revised rating. Similar comments apply to Himalayan Trail who was undeniably impressive when scoring at Haydock but hasn't been given much of a breather himself. Huka Lodge is fairly treated but made mistakes when disappointing last time and this veteran is best left out of calculations as is Supreme Keano who will find this no easier than the races he's been held in this term. Corkage has plenty of weight and is better on good ground, Wild Cane Ridge is handicapped to the hilt and shouldn't be up to scoring whilst Bay Cherry has questions to answer having struggled last time. Indeed, Hockenheim may prove the best of Howard Johnson's pair but we fancy this prize will go to the Reveleys and Categorical.
Ma Yahab 14-1 (10-12) Mid-division, pushed along and lost place before 10th, rallied approaching 2 out, pressing for places last, one pace flat, 4th of 24, 4 1/2l behind BallaBriggs (11-12) at Cheltenham 3m 1f Am hcp chs 0-140 (2) gs in Mar.
Wild Cane Ridge (IRE) 11-2 (10-12) Led to before 3rd, tracked leader, mistake and lost place 13th, driven and outpaced approaching 2 out, soon no impression, stayed on to go 3rd flat, no chance with leading pair, 3rd of 5, 25l behind Sa Suffit (11-2) at Kelso 2m 6f chs (2) sft in Mar.
Buffalo Bob (IRE) 3-1fav (11-2) Led, not fluent 3rd, ridden after 3 out, headed near finish, 2nd of 11, 3/4l behind Carrickmines (10-9) at Uttoxeter 3m nov hcp chs (3) sft in Mar.
Himalayan Trail 11-2 (11-10) Held up in touch, not fluent 11th, joined leader next, led 4 out, drew well clear from next, eased right down flat, won at Haydock 3m hcp chs 0-115 (4) sft in Mar beating Dark Ben (11-7) by 17l, 6 ran.
Lorum Leader (IRE) 28-1 (10-3) Mid-division, mistakes, blundered 14th, soon lost place, pulled up after 18th, in a race won by Synchronised (11-5) at Uttoxeter 4m 1f list hcp ch (1) hvy in Mar, 17 ran.
Huka Lodge (IRE) 7-2fav (11-3) Hit 1st, led 2nd to before 3rd, chased leader until blundered badly and unseated rider 9th, in a race won by Boris The Blade (10-4) at Haydock 3m 4f hcp chs 0-130 (3) hvy in Jan, 9 ran.
Morgan Be 22-1 (10-3) In rear, headway approaching 18th, weakened next, tailed off in 4th when pulled up before 2 out, in a race won by Synchronised (11-5) at Uttoxeter 4m 1f list hcp ch (1) hvy in Mar, 17 ran.
Appleaday (IRE) 10-1 (11-4) Tracked leaders, effort 3 out, chased winner next, ridden and kept on flat, always held, 2nd of 10, 3 1/2l behind Meanus Dandy (11-1) at Sandown 3m hcp chs 0-135 (3) gd in Mar.
Bay Cherry (IRE) 7-1 (10-9) Held up mid-division, chased leaders 13th, weakening when blundered 4 out, pulled up before next, in a race won by Gidam Gidam (11-0) at Doncaster 4m hcp chs 0-140 (2) gs in Feb, 16 ran.
Antonius Caesar (FR) 8-1 (11-6) Held up in rear, hampered 9th, headway 11th, went 2nd 13th until 15th, challenged 16th until before 2 out, lost 2nd last, weakened flat, 3rd of 7, 17l behind Lavenoak Lad (9-7) at Warwick 3m 5f hcp chs 0-135 (3) hvy in Feb.
Categorical 5-1 (11-2) Tracked leaders, headway approaching 3 out, led 2 out, clear approaching last, easily, won at Ayr 3m 1f hcp chs 0-125 (3) gf in Mar beating Fiftyfive Degrees (11-4) by 10l, 9 ran.
Hockenheim (FR) 4-1 (11-6) With leader, led approaching 8th, headed 3 out, looking held in 2nd when blundered 2 out, 2nd of 7, 4 1/2l behind Nirvana Swing (11-2) at Market Rasen 2m 6f hcp chs 0-125 (3) sft in Nov.
Not Left Yet (IRE) 40-1 (10-12) Held up behind, headway to track leading pair 4 out, effort 2 out to before last, soon no impression, ridden and lost place flat, last of 5, 30l behind Sa Suffit (11-2) at Kelso 2m 6f chs (2) sft in Mar.
Supreme Keano (IRE) 5-1 (11-0) Held up in rear, not always fluent, progress to go 5th 18th, not fluent 3 out, no impression before 2 out, stayed on flat, 4th of 9, 7l behind Fine By Me (10-6) at Warwick 3m 5f hcp chs 0-125 (3) gd in Mar.
Minster Shadow 6-1 (10-0) Mid-division on inside, headway 4 out, effort next, soon ridden and kept on same pace, no impression, 4th of 15, 17l behind Mister Marker (10-6) at Newcastle 3m hcp hdl 0-130 (3) sft in Mar.
Chernik (IRE) 25-1 (11-9) Led to 5th, led again 13th, headed approaching 4 out, regained lead approaching 3 out, no extra when headed final 100 yards, 2nd of 12, 2 1/4l behind Matmata de Tendron (9-11) at Carlisle 3m 2f hcp ch 0-110 (4) gd in Mar.
Corkage (IRE) 4-1 (11-8) Prominent, pushed along approaching 9th, outpaced from 11th, 4th of 6, 19l behind Mhilu (11-8) at Perth 2m 4f nov chs (3) gf in Sep.
