chased leaders, reminder and flashed tail before 3 out, weakened before next
chased leaders on outside, not fluent 2nd, mistake 2 out, ridden and one pace in 3rd between last 2, hung left under pressure and went 2nd towards finish, no chance with winner
keen early, held up in last pair, mistake 5th, pushed along in 4th on long run to 2 out, weakened between last 2
chased leaders, weakening when mistake 3 out, blundered last
held up last, well behind when awkward 3 out, headway on inside under pressure 2 out, modest 4th between last 2
raced keenly, led, joined 4th, headed 3 out, chased leader, 2 lengths down last, rallied gamely under pressure to lead again final 110 yards
chased leader, challenged 4th, led 3 out, 2 lengths ahead last, headed and no extra final 110 yards, weakened into 3rd towards finish
chased leaders, outpaced and lost place 4th, never on terms after, went modest 5th between last 2
Ratify is still going strong at the age of 14 but he’s done all of his winning over fences. Skinflint is interesting running in his first handicap while No Hiding Place ran his best race so far over timber when second at Kempton last month. He is 3lb higher but trainer and jockey teamed up to win this 12 months ago. Jody Sole rode the winner in 2014 and partner BRIAC, who won an arguably stronger heat over course and distance three weeks ago. That should have boosted confidence and Mark Pattinson’s seven-year-old can defy a 6lb rise in the weights.
Lord Marmaduke 8-1 (11-5) Chased leaders, went 2nd from 2nd until before 3 out, stayed on same pace, lost 3rd close home, 4th of 13, 7 1/2l behind Zalvados (11-5) at Ludlow 2m mdn (4) sft in Jan.
No Hiding Place (IRE) 8-1 (11-10) Chased leaders, went 2nd and chance 2 out, 1 length down last, ridden hung left and kept on same pace run-in, 2nd of 13, 2l behind Alberta (11-8) at Kempton 2m hcp (4) sft in Feb.
Scrafton 20-1 (11-8) Held up in touch, weakened before 3 out, 9th of 14, dist behind Slanelough (12-0) at Doncaster 2m 3f hcp (4) sft in Jan.
Skinflint (IRE) 100-1 (11-2) Tracked leader who soon went clear, settled in touch after 1st, headway in 4th before 3 out, close 3rd next, weakened run-in, 6th of 10, 16l behind Whatswrongwithyou (11-8) at Newbury 2m (3) sft in Feb.
Stolberg (IRE) 9-1 (12-0) Prominent, every chance before 2 out, soon weakened, pulled up before last, at Wincanton 2m 5f hcp (4) sft in Feb.
Ratify 13-2 (11-9) Made all, jumped right 6th, ridden when jumped right and not fluent last, pressed flat, stayed on gamely to fend off rival towards finish, won at Huntingdon 2m 4f hcp (4) sft in Feb beating Bally Gilbert (11-12) by 1 1/2l, 7 ran.
Briac (FR) 25-1 (10-1) Chased clear leading pair, closed on outside to lead before 2 out, clear before last, stayed on strongly, driven out, won at Sandown 2m hcp (4) hvy in Feb beating Balibour (11-9) by 1 3/4l, 11 ran.
Kastani Beach (IRE) 16-1 (11-7) Led until ridden and headed before 2 out, chased winner, ridden and held before last, weakened run-in, 4th of 11, 4 3/4l behind Argyle (12-2) at Plumpton 2m hcp (5) sft in Jan.
