never travelled in rear, struggling when blundered 8th, tailed off
held up in last pair, steady headway 6th, chased leaders 8th, went 3rd before 4 out where not fluent, no chance with leading pair, weakened 2 out, lost poor 3rd post
chased leader, led 8th, clear 3 out, stayed on strongly, eased towards finish
held up towards rear, pushed along and outpaced 8th, stayed on past beaten horses flat, went poor 3rd post
chased leaders, ridden and weakened before 4 out, mistake 2 out
chased leaders in 4th, lost place and mistake 7th, rallied 5 out, went 2nd before 4 out, hung left and no extra from 3 out
led until 8th, chased winner until before 4 out, soon outpaced in 4th, hit 2 out, weakened flat
Nonrunner
The mare Natural Spring has been in decent form of late and would be thereabouts in this if taking to the larger obstacles. Sean Quinlan has stepped off Basford Ben to ride the returning Lucky Lukey and he may be the pick of Jennie Candlish's pair while Regal Presence and South Stack have got to go on the short-list. The former won over hurdles at Ascot last month while the latter was a consistent sort over timber. GREEN WIZARD wasn't winning out of turn over hurdles here 11 days ago and looks the type to do well over fences. He can make a winning start if handling the drop in distance.
Basford Ben 50-1 (11-3) Led to 4th, chased clear winner from 2 out, just held on for 2nd near finish, 2nd of 9, 29l behind Eduard (11-10) at Carlisle 2m 1f nh nov hdl (4) sft in Feb.
Gizzit (IRE) 3-1 (10-4) Held up towards rear, headway before 3 out, led 3 out, headed 2 out, weakened before last, 5th of 7, 13l behind Union Saint (11-6) at Exeter 2m 1f hcp hdl 0-115 (4) sft in Apr.
Green Wizard (IRE) 14-1 (11-4) Always prominent, ridden approaching 3 out, led before last, stayed on well, won at Uttoxeter 3m hcp hdl 0-120 (4) gd beating Sail And Return (10-10) by 1 1/4l, 13 ran.
Jonny Rye (IRE) 11-1 (11-9) Chased leaders, slow 2nd, reminders, lost place 5th, detatched next, tailed off when pulled up before 4 out, in a race won by Big Time Billy (11-2) at Fakenham 2m 7f hcp hdl 0-110 (4) gd in Apr, 8 ran.
Lucky Lukey 10-1 (11-4) Held up in rear, headway after 6th, ridden before 3 out, weakened approaching next, 5th of 13, 29l behind Spanish Arch (11-9) at Warwick 2m 5f hcp hdl 0-105 (4) sft in Dec.
South Stack 18-1 (11-5) Mid-division, headway approaching 3 out, hung left before 2 out, jumped right last, kept on same pace flat, 3rd of 19, 3l behind Tolkeins Tango (11-2) at Exeter 2m 3f hcp hdl 0-115 (4) gd in Mar.
Wheelavher 25-1 (10-4) Tracked leader until before 9th, soon beaten, 7th of 14, well behind Moscow In April (10-6) at Uttoxeter 3m nov hcp hdl 0-100 (5) gd.
Accordion Exhibit (IRE) 40-1 (10-13) In rear, pushed along after 5th, reminders before 6th, soon tailed off, pulled up, in a race won by Westward Point (11-4) at Warwick 2m 5f nh nov hdl (3) hvy in Feb, 8 ran.
Regal Presence (IRE) 9-2fav (10-2) Mid-division, headway 9th, 4th 2 out, weakened approaching last, tailed off, 10th of 17, well behind Lower Hope Dandy (10-9) at Cheltenham 3m nov hcp hdl 0-125 (3) gs in Apr.
Natural Spring 14-1 (11-7) Chased leader until 3rd, prominent, pushed along before 2 out, weakened 2 out, 6th of 11, 10l behind Polly Peachum (10-4) at Kempton 2m 5f mares nov hcp hdl Listed (1) gs in Apr.
