held up towards rear, pushed along after 4th, beaten when pulled up before 2 out
prominent, led 8th, headed approaching 4 out, rallied next, weakened last
led, mistake 5th, headed 8th, jumped left 11th, lost place after 15th, behind when pulled up after 5 out
held up in touch, mistake 13th, chased leaders 16th, under pressure when not fluent 4 out, soon under pressure, weakened last
mid-division, headway to chase leaders 15th, ridden to challenge 3 out, kept on well closing stages
always in rear, detached 6 out, pulled up after next
held up in rear, headway after 5 out, chased leaders next, led 2 out, stayed on strongly
behind, mistake 17th, headway 3 out, never on terms
tracked leader, led approaching 4 out, headed next, weakened before last
in touch, when fell 3rd
chased leaders, lost place 11th, behind when pulled up before 3 out
mid-division, hampered 3rd, mistake 10th, headway 4 out, led next, headed 2 out, no extra closing stages
always behind, pulled up before 17th
Just A Par represents the champion trainer but has a big burden to carry and tends to reserve his best for the spring months. The bottom four have life made harder by being out of the handicap while Aintree regular Alvarado, despite having decent form claims, may just find things happening a little too quickly around this sharp circuit. Therefore, a hopeful choice is FIVE IN A ROW as though he was very disappointing at Sandown last time that was a performance out of character by this normally reliable sort. He stayed 3m5f well enough at Sedgefield previously, a run which should give him every chance of seeing out the additional trip around here. Gonalston Cloud and Azure Fly have claims as well but the potential dark horse is Dancing Shadow, impressive at Doncaster last time. He's never tackled anything like this trip but is a useful chaser on a good mark and will be a danger to all if his stamina holds out.
Just A Par (IRE) 13-2 (11-7) Tracked leading trio, not fluent 6th, reminders and struggling after 13th, left modest 3rd next, tired when went right last, weakened into 4th run-in, 4th of 6, 29 3/4l behind Three Faces West (11-7) at Newbury 2m 7f (2) gs in Dec.
Beeves (IRE) 5-1 (12-2) Tracked leaders, hit 4th, pushed along before 12th, weakened next, 5th of 8, 11 3/4l behind La Vaticane (12-2) at Doncaster 3m hcp (3) gd in Dec.
Five In A Row (IRE) 5-1 (11-4) Tracked winner until 8th, mistake and lost place next, reminders 11th, tailed off 18th, pulled up before next, at Sandown 3m 5f hcp (2) gs in Dec.
Alvarado (IRE) 10-1 (10-2) Fell 2nd, at Aintree 3m 2f hcp (1) gs in Dec.
Gonalston Cloud (IRE) 9-1 (11-8) Towards rear, headway under pressure 4 out, chased leaders next, ridden after 2 out, stayed on strongly flat, took 2nd near finish, not reach winner, 2nd of 14, 1 1/4l behind Straidnahanna (11-10) at Catterick 3m 6f hcp (3) gd in Jan.
Sun Cloud (IRE) 7-1 (11-12) Always behind, weakened from 6 out, tailed off, 5th of 11, dist behind Mysteree (10-12) at Haydock 3m 4f hcp (3) hvy in Nov.
Dancing Shadow (IRE) 7-2cfav (11-4) Took keen hold early, held up last, not fluent 2nd, outpaced and reminders before 12th, headway into 3rd soon after 4 out, 2nd approaching 2 out, led approaching last, stayed on to go clear run-in, won at Doncaster 3m 2f hcp (3) gd in Dec beating Fort Worth (11-5) by 10l, 7 ran.
Jet Master (IRE) 8-1 (11-12) Always towards rear, weakened before 2 out, 7th of 11, 32 1/4l behind Marcus Antonius (10-12) at Kelso 2m 2f hcp (4) gs in Dec.
Azure Fly (IRE) 16-1 (11-8) Chased leaders, went 2nd approaching 5th, led approaching 16th, headed 3 out, chased winner until 2 out, kept on same pace in 3rd, 3rd of 14, 3 3/4l behind Morney Wing (11-6) at Plumpton 3m 4f hcp (3) sft in Jan.
Valleyofmilan (IRE) 9-1 (10-4) Made all, ridden and kept on from last, won at Ludlow 3m hcp (3) gs in Jan beating Still Believing (11-0) by 1 1/2l, 8 ran.
Itstimeforapint (IRE) 14-1 (10-10) Always prominent, chased winner 4 out, ridden after next, kept on under pressure flat, held when lost 2nd near finish, 3rd of 14, 1 1/2l behind Straidnahanna (11-10) at Catterick 3m 6f hcp (3) gd in Jan.
Full Jack (FR) 5-1 (10-5) Led, headed before 3 out, kept on same pace, 4th of 10, 3 1/4l behind Clondaw Kaempfer (11-11) at Musselburgh 3m hcp (3) gd in Jan.
Present Lodger (IRE) 16-1 (11-10) Towards rear, outpaced before 4 out, ridden and kept on from 2 out, 4th of 8, 2 1/2l behind Rowdy Rocher (11-10) at Ayr 2m 5f hcp (4) hvy in Jan.
