held up, headway on outside approaching 4 out, went 3rd 2 out, no chance with leading duo
with leader until lost place quickly 6th, behind and pulled up before 8th
chased leaders, went 2nd 3 out, challenged next, stayed on from last, led near line
jumped right at times, chased leaders, went 2nd and challenged 6th, led 10th, went right 2 out, stayed on under pressure headed near line
held up, headway to 4th at 7th, weakened soon after 8th, struggling when hit 10th, tailed off
ran in snatches, chased leaders in 3rd from 6th, lost place next, soon struggling, tailed off
behind, headway to 5th when blundered 9th, weakened next, went modest 4th before last, kept on flat
narrow lead, mistake 2nd, went right 7th, ridden and headed 10th, lost 2nd 3 out, weakened next
The most competitive contest on the card and a tricky puzzle to solve. The classy Oh Crick finally took advantage of a tumbling handicap mark to score at Chepstow six weeks ago but has been raised 8lb since. Oldrik beat Doeslessthanme and Falcon Island at Taunton in December but Paul Nicholls' charge comes out best at the weights of that trio today and also makes more appeal than recent Ludlow winner Callisto Moon. Wester Ross remains in good form but is still climbing the weights and preference is for QOUBILAI. That latter has done really well since joining Tim Vaughan and jumped his rivals silly at Wetherby eight days ago. This is tougher but the eight-year-old is on an upward curve and can go in again off his lowly mark.
Oh Crick (FR) 9-2 (11-12) Held up towards rear, headway 6th, tracked leading pair 5 out, led 2 out, soon ridden, stayed on to go clear flat, won at Chepstow 2m hcp chs (2) sft in Feb beating Educated Evans (11-7) by 7l, 9 ran.
Falcon Island 66-1 (11-10) Tracked leaders on outside, driven and lost place after 3 out, weakened next, 13th of 20, 40l behind Hunt Ball (12-0) at Cheltenham 2m 4f Listed Novice Handicap Chase (0-140) (5yo+) (1) gd in Mar.
Doeslessthanme (IRE) 10-11fav (11-7) Jumped left, led, headed before 4th, chased leader, closed before 3 out, led before last, came clear flat, won at Hereford 2m nov chs (3) sft in Mar beating Jaffonnien (11-0) by 11l, 6 ran.
Passato (GER) 11-1 (10-2) Tracked leaders, reminder after 10th, hung left approaching 4 out, lost place before next, weakened 2 out, pulled up before last, in a race won by Aerial (11-3) at Newbury 2m 4f hcp chs G3 (1) gd in Mar, 12 ran.
Oldrik (GER) 10-1 (11-4) Mid-division, headway to chase leaders 10th, pushed along before 12th, ridden and weakened after 3 out, 8th of 11, 43l behind Triolo D'Alene (10-8) at Ascot 2m 3f nov ltd hcp chs 0-135 (3) gs in Jan.
Callisto Moon 15-2 (11-12) Tracked leader, jumped left 6th and when not fluent 7th, soon ridden, not fluent and challenged 4 out, led next, clear 2 out, hit last, ridden out, won at Ludlow 2m nov hcp chs 0-120 (4) gd in Mar beating Park Lane (11-9) by 8l, 4 ran.
Wester Ross (IRE) 5-1 (11-9) Held up in last, not much room 1st, headway when not fluent 9th, hit 4 out, went 3rd after 2 out, stayed on to take 2nd flat, not able to trouble winner, 2nd of 6, 2 1/4l behind Song Sung Blue (11-12) at Sandown 2m hcp chs 0-130 (3) gd in Feb.
Qoubilai (FR) 5-6fav (11-6) Led, soon clear, shaken up and asserted authority before last, easily, won at Wetherby 2m hcp chs 0-115 (4) gd in Mar beating Border Reiver (10-11) by 14l, 5 ran.
