left in lead 1st, headed 6th, tracked leader, challenged 4 out, led again next, 1 length advantage when blundered badly and headed 2 out, no impression with clear pair after
in touch on outside, switched inside before 4 out, challenged next, led narrowly after last, ridden out closing stages, kept on
held up in rear, hit 4th, driven and outpaced when not fluent 4 out, soon beaten
jinked and rider lost iron briefly start, led until blundered and unseated rider 1st
left tracking leader 1st, led 6th, clear after next until 8th, headed 3 out, left in narrow lead again 2 out, headed after last, ridden and no extra closing stages
chased leaders, outpaced 4 out, no chance in modest 4th from next
Rayvin Black is jumping fences late in life but was only beaten a head by Optimus Prime at Leicester, though was receiving plenty of weight. Verni, another nine-year-old, is making his chasing debut but has won three times over hurdles. Brelan D'As was favourite over 3m here in November but found the trip too far. He’s better judged on an earlier third at Ffos Las but even that run leaves him something to find. Diamant Bleu faced a stiff task on his reappearance and could be a factor if he takes to fences but stablemate LE ROCHER’s jumping has improved with experience and he did well to beat Three Musketeers at Market Rasen last month – a hat-trick may be on the cards.
Le Rocher (FR) 5-2 (11-3) Tracked leader, led briefly 2nd, lost 2nd 9th, not fluent 10th, 2nd again after 4 out, led 3 out, not fluent 2 out, hard pressed, stayed on, in command close home, won at Market Rasen 2m 5f (2) hvy in Jan beating Three Musketeers (11-7) by 1 1/4l, 4 ran.
Allysson Monterg (FR) 4-1jfav (11-1) Prominent, tracked leader before 8th to before 3 out, weakened from next, 7th of 13, 29 3/4l behind Anteros (10-2) at Cheltenham 3m 1f hcp lst (1) sft in Nov.
Brelan D'As (FR) 5-4fav (11-0) Pulled hard with low head carriage, waited with in 3rd, not fluent 13th, pushed along and found nil before 4 out, last of 3, dist behind Duel At Dawn (11-0) at Exeter 3m (3) sft in Nov.
Rayvin Black 3-1 (10-12) Tracked winner, challenged 6th, ridden after 4 out, 1 length down last, rallied flat, just held, 2nd of 3, hd behind Optimus Prime (11-8) at Leicester 2m (3) sft in Jan.
Verni (FR) 7-1 (11-2) Held up behind, headway when hampered 6th, went 2nd 4 out, lost place when mistake and tack slipped next, no danger after, weakened last, 5th of 9, 29 1/2l behind Limited Reserve (10-2) at Haydock 2m 3f hcp (2) hvy in Nov.
Diamant Bleu (FR) 66-1 (11-5) Not fluent 1st and 2nd, close up in rear, pushed along 5th, ridden 3 out, weakened well before next, 6th of 7, dist behind On The Blind Side (11-5) at Sandown 2m 4f (1) gs in Dec.
