held up towards rear, headway to track leaders after 4 out, led after next, blundered and unseated rider 2 out
led, soon 10 lengths clear, jumped right in places, mistake 4th, hung right on bend approaching 6th, headed before 3 out, weakened next
prominent early, held up in touch after next, headway after 4 out, every chance next, outpaced 2 out, weakened before last
tracked clear leader, weakened before 3 out
chased leaders, lost place before 5 out
behind, jumped slowly throughout, reminders after 4th, headway 4 out, stayed on under pressure closing stages, never nearer
held up in rear, hard driven after 4 out, some headway after 2 out, never on terms
tracked clear leader, took closer order 4 out, led before next, headed approaching 2nd last, jumped left last, no extra closing stages
held up towards rear, headway after 4 out, every chance next, left in lead 2 out, stayed on well
Ballyrath can race off a 7lb lower mark than over hurdles but he's yet to win over the smaller obstacles. Roycano was put up 12lb for winning a minor contest at Fakenham but Exeter winner Speredek ran well off his new mark back at the west country venue 10 days ago and is preferred to Bassarabad, who didn't appear to get home over 3m1f at Plumpton in January. Major Milborne and City Supreme are proving hard to place while Monetary Fund looks to be regressing. Fin D'espere was second over 2m4f here four weeks ago, however, and has claims if lasting the extra. BARENICE will definitely appreciate this stamina test as he was placed in a point-to-point as a four-year-old. He's shown promise in his last two starts over timber and can come good today off a fair mark.
Roycano 15-8fav (11-0) Held up in rear but in touch, headway after 4 out, hampered next, led 2nd last, clear last, readily, won at Fakenham 2m 7f hcp (4) gs in Feb beating Just So Cool (11-9) by 14l, 6 ran.
Speredek (FR) 4-1fav (11-12) Led, clear 2nd, hit 2 out, 4 lengths up when blundered badly and nearly unseated rider last, not recover and headed towards finish, 2nd of 14, 1 1/2l behind Cailleach Annie (11-2) at Exeter 2m 7f hcp (4) gd in Mar.
Ballyrath (IRE) 9-1 (11-9) Well behind, tailed off and pulled up before 13th, at Warwick 3m 5f hcp (3) sft in Mar.
Monetary Fund (USA) 7-1 (11-8) Tracked leaders, effort 3 out, soon ridden, weakened before last, 6th of 7, 15 3/4l behind Get Involved (10-11) at Newbury 3m hcp (4) sft in Mar.
Major Milborne 9-2 (11-9) Tracked leader, under pressure 3 out, weakened next, 4th of 6, dist behind Roycano (11-0) at Fakenham 2m 7f hcp (4) gs in Feb.
Fin D'espere (IRE) 12-1 (11-1) Tracked leaders, went 2nd before 3 out, led before next, ridden and headed before last, kept on same pace, 2nd of 10, 2 1/4l behind Muhtaris (11-11) at Newbury 2m 5f hcp (4) sft in Mar.
Barenice (FR) 6-1 (11-3) Mid-division, headway 5th, 4th and weakening 3 out, 5th of 8, 25 1/2l behind Aurillac (11-3) at Chepstow 2m 3f mdn (4) sft in Feb.
Bassarabad (FR) 5-2 (11-4) Chased leaders, ridden after 3 out, beaten when jumped left and mistake 2 out, stayed on one pace, went 2nd before last, no impression on winner, 2nd of 6, 8l behind Georgieshore (11-4) at Lingfield 2m 3f mdn (4) hvy in Mar.
City Supreme (IRE) 5-2 (11-7) Held up in rear, headway 4 out, 3rd before 2 out, switched right flat, stayed on, 3rd of 6, 1 3/4l behind A Plein Temps (11-12) at Taunton 3m hcp (4) sft in Mar.
