tracked leaders, mistake 3rd, ridden 4th, pulled up approaching 5th
mid-division, ridden and outpaced 5th, stayed on, not troubled leaders
led and keen, clear 3 out, ridden and headed approaching 2 out, weakened
tracked leaders, tracked leader 5th to 6th, ridden and weakened 3 out
held up, headway 3 out, chased clear winner from 2 out, hung left and one pace
with leader until 3rd, tracked leader 6th, ridden after 3 out, soon led, ran on
held up, reminders 5th, beaten next
held up, mistake 3 out, weakening approaching 2 out, soon pulled up
mid-division, behind from 3 out
mid-division, mistake 3rd, steady headway after 5th, chased leaders next, weakened 2 out
tracked leader and keen from 3rd, lost place 6th, soon beaten and pulled up before next
Some lightly raced sorts go to post which means that there's a few potential improvers in here and one of them, Mutual Friend, takes our eye in particular. He was a fair handicapper at around ten furlongs during a short Flat career for Ed Dunlop before joining the Pond House team. He was turned over at a short price on his hurdling debut at Warwick offering little encouragement for the future and his next effort over obstacles was little better. However, he qualified for a handicap mark with a far more encouraging effort in a juvenile hurdle at Sandown which is working out quite well. There are still question marks over his attitude and aptitude but he's in the right hands and we'll take a chance with him this afternoon. Alan King's pair both have claims with neither making more appeal than the other, Towerofcharlemagne and Vanquisher are a couple of potential improvers whilst the claims of the more exposed Jazz Scene, Rapscallion and Lester Leaps In should not be forgotten. A few to consider then with support for Mutual Friend only nominal.
Lester Leaps In (USA) 13-2 (11-4) Tracked leaders, ridden and lost place after 3 out, stayed on again from next, left 2nd briefly and hampered last, 4th of 11, 6l behind Noble Raider (11-3) at Sandown 2m cnd hcp hdl 0-115 (4) gd in Feb.
Rapscallion (GER) 9-2 (11-5) Led, ridden and headed when mistake 2 out, 4th and beaten when fell at the last in race won by Fredensborg (11-9) at Kempton 2m cnd hcp hdl 0-115 (4) sft in Feb, 12 ran.
Royal Wedding 8-1 (11-3) In touch, ridden and every chance approaching 2 out, weakened before last, 6th of 14, 16l behind Cortinas (11-2) at Huntingdon 2m hcp hdl 0-115 (4) gf.
Summer of Love (IRE) 8-11fav (10-11) Held up mid-division, headway 5th, led 3 out, jumped right and headed next, soon ridden and one pace, 2nd of 9, 1 1/2l behind Shavansky (10-12) at Huntingdon 2m 4yo nov hdl (4) gf.
Mutual Friend (USA) 12-1 (10-12) Held up and keen, headway after 3 out, outpaced next, 4th of 6, 4 1/2l behind Squadron (10-12) at Sandown 2m 4yo nov hdl (3) sft in Jan.
Jazz Scene (IRE) 20-1 (9-12) Led to 5th, soon driven, mistake 2 out, soon beaten, 2nd of 13, 8l behind I'm So Lucky (11-6) at Stratford 2m hcp hdl 0-125 (3) gs.
Towerofcharlemagne (IRE) 25-1 (11-0) Always in rear, tailed off, 8th of 16, well behind Helens Vision (10-4) at Newbury 2m nov hdl (3) gs in Dec.
Sam Lord 3-1fav (10-9) Mid-division, mistake 3rd, headway 5th, ridden 2 out, kept on same pace, 3rd of 14, 6l behind Mous Of Men (11-12) at Wincanton 2m nov hcp hdl 0-110 (4) sft in Jan.
Foreign King (USA) 20-1 (11-0) Held up, headway 2nd, ridden and every chance approaching 3 out, weakening when blundered 2 out, 7th of 10, 27l behind Stagehand (10-11) at Exeter 2m 1f 4yo nov hcp hdl (3) gd in Feb.
Vanquisher (IRE) 12-1 (11-0) Led, clear until 3 out, weakened and headed approaching next, 11th of 14, well behind First Buddy (10-11) at Bangor 2m 1f 4yo mdn hdl (4) gd.
Triple Bluff 13-2 (10-2) Mid-division, headway 3 out, led and pushed clear approaching 2 out, emptied and mistake last, soon headed, went left flat, no extra, 2nd of 7, 2l behind Master Mahogany (11-9) at Wincanton 2m hcp hdl 0-115 (4) gs.
