pressed leader until not fluent 3 out, weakening when mistake 2 out
led until approaching 2 out, no extra flat
held up, soon in mid-division, weakened approaching 8th
held up in rear, headway 7th, stayed on under pressure to chase winner last, no impression
mid-division, headway 7th, weakening when mistake 2 out
held up in rear, not fluent 6th, never in contention
in touch, ridden after 3 out, weakened approaching 2 out
held up in rear, mistake 6th, struggling 8th
held up in mid-division, headway 7th, fell next
chased leaders, weakened after 3 out
prominent, weakened approaching 7th, tailed off 3 out, pulled up before next
chased leaders, went 2nd 3 out, led approaching 2 out, stayed on well
held up in rear, not fluent 3rd, pushed along 7th, stayed on past beaten horses from 2 out, never in contention
in touch, ridden and weakened approaching 7th, tailed off 3 out, pulled up before next
not always fluent, in rear on outside, always behind
Nonrunner
Four last-time winners in this big field should be enough to see them towards the head of the market, and it is no surprise that Alison Thorpe has chosen to run PEARL under a penalty, as the easy Huntingdon winner is fancied to follow-up from Share Option, Good For Blue and Willandrich. The last-named has won four of his five most recent races, and a 7lb rise for winning at Market Rasen is not insurmountable given that these conditions suit. Even so, he will have to improve a fair bit to get the better of the selection, Pearl. The six-year-old mare was a very easy winner last weekend when the ground was described as good to soft, but she also acts on a sound surface and now appears to be the time to catch her while she is right. Share Option scored at Doncaster last time when a driven-out winner by seven lengths. An 8lb rise is fair enough and the going suits him, so he is not ruled out. Good For Blue will find it tough to follow-up his own Huntingdon success from today's 6lb higher mark, while Cadoudalas should be very competitive, though may again find one or two too good. Stage Acclaim has a tough task from top weight but represents a yard going well enough and can get involved at the business end, but Pearl is given the vote.
Stage Acclaim (IRE) 33-1 (11-4) Led 2nd, soon headed, led next, headed after 5th, led again 6th, headed and not much room 2 out, no impression on winner towards finish, lost 2nd post, 3rd of 12, 1 3/4l behind Good For Blue (11-0) at Huntingdon 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-115 (4) sft in Feb.
Cadoudalas (FR) 6-1 (11-3) Held up towards rear, ridden 7th, headway 3 out, stayed on well flat, went 2nd post, 2nd of 12, 1 1/2l behind Good For Blue (11-0) at Huntingdon 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-115 (4) sft in Feb.
Good For Blue (IRE) 14-1 (11-0) Held up in rear, hampered 4th, headway after 6th, went 2nd 3 out, led, went left and hit 2 out, rider dropped whip after last, stayed on, won at Huntingdon 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-115 (4) sft in Feb beating Cadoudalas (11-3) by 1 1/2l, 12 ran.
Share Option 20-1 (10-2) Held up towards rear, headway after 4 out, led approaching 3 out, clear approaching last, stayed on well, won at Doncaster 2m 3f hcp hdl 0-120 (3) gs in Feb beating King's Revenge (11-2) by 7l, 17 ran.
Quipe Me Posted (FR) 80-1 (10-13) Held up towards rear, headway approaching 4th, weakened after 3 out, 8th of 15, 25l behind Rollwiththepunches (11-4) at Huntingdon 2m NH nov hdl (4-7yo) (4) sft in Jan.
Go All Out (IRE) 28-1 (11-9) In rear, not fluent and hampered 2nd, struggling 5th, tailed off, 8th of 12, well behind Tom O'tara (9-11) at Warwick 2m nov hcp hdl 0-110 (4) gs in Feb.
Cashel Bay (USA) 20-1 (10-8) Mid-division, 8th before 2 out, soon no impression under pressure, kept on same pace, 8th of 23, 10l behind Marhaba Million (11-9) at Punchestown 2m 4f stks 0-123 gd in Apr '07.
Ballamusic (IRE) 8-1 (11-2) Held up, struggling 4 out, tailed off when pulled up before 2 out, in a race won by Cobbler's Queen (10-10) at Huntingdon 2m 5f hcp hdl 0-115 (4) sft in Jan, 13 ran.
Pearl (IRE) 4-1 (10-11) Raced wide, held up towards rear, headway approaching 6th, challenged 3 out, led before next, clear last, easily, won at Huntingdon 2m 5f hcp hdl 0-115 (4) gs beating Chaim (11-9) by 11l, 10 ran.
Corredor Sun (USA) 7-2 (11-1) Led at decent pace, hit 1st, reminders 5th, ridden and headed 3 out, weakened into well held fifth when mistake 2 out, pulled up before last, in a race won by Double Dash (11-9) at Lingfield 2m hcp hdl 0-110 (4) hvy in Jan, 6 ran.
Oshkosh (IRE) 33-1 (11-7) Tracked leaders, ridden after 3 out, weakened next, 9th of 16, 34l behind Stoop To Conquer (11-12) at Huntingdon 2m 5f hcp hdl 0-110 (4) gs in Dec.
Willandrich (IRE) 7-2fav (10-10) In touch, joined leader 7th, led before 2 out, ridden and stayed on well flat, won at Market Rasen 2m 3f hcp hdl 0-95 (5) sft in Jan beating Home She Goes (11-8) by 4l, 10 ran.
Blazing Sun (IRE) 100-1 (11-4) Always behind, 10th of 14, 39l behind Cheshire Prince (11-6) at Huntingdon 2m nh nov hdl (4) sft in Jan.
Vin Rose 12-1 (10-7) Towards rear, ridden after 4 out, soon weakened, pulled up before 3 out, in a race won by Lady Bling Bling (10-10) at Ludlow 2m 5f nov hcp hdl 0-120 (3) gd, 13 ran.
All The Fashion (IRE) 200-1 (10-5) Held up towards rear, pushed along 4th, weakened from 4 out, 7th of 11, 38l behind Zazamix (10-12) at Bangor 2m 1f nov hdl (4) sft in Dec.
Spare Me 10-1 (11-10) Prominent, ridden and weakening when not fluent 3 out, 10th of 14, well behind Super Ross (11-3) at Ludlow 2m 5f sll hdl (4-8yo) (5) gd in Feb '09.
