mid-division, headway 12th, chased leader after 4 out, led 3 out, pushed out flat
held up last, mistake 6th, ridden 13th, weakened 4 out, pulled up before last
held up, headway 10th, ridden 13th, weakened 4 out
led, ridden, headed and jumped right 3 out, kept on, no chance with winner
chased leader, ridden 11th, one pace from 3 out
prominent, ridden and lost place 13th, pulled up before last
With the exception of no-hoper Clifden Boy, only 6lbs separates top to bottom in this handicap and the tentative nomination goes to I'MONCLOUDNINE. The return to fences may be the key here for the selection as he never got competitive last time out at the track over hurdles. This half-brother to the stables' I'm A Legend looks to have a bit more stamina than his sibling and he should be fine over this trip and a mark of 103 may not be the limit of his ability, whilst Timmy Murphy catches the eye as a jockey booking. Smoke Trail and Terrible Tenant are both course and distance winners. The last-named didn¿t run badly last time as he seeks to regain full fitness after a spell on the sidelines during 07/08 and so is not to be underestimated, whilst the former is now just 2lbs higher than his last winning mark after some poor efforts. A visor is tried on Triggernometry and his mark has tumbled to 97, whilst Scaramouche is unexposed in this sphere and his run behind Lightning Strike last time reads well. A competitive heat, however I'moncloudnine is taken to deft top-weight.
I'moncloudnine (IRE) 4-1 (11-6) Prominent, ridden and chased leaders 3 out, weakened after 2 out, 5th of 9, 36l behind Painter Man (11-5) at Wincanton 2m 6f hcp hdl 0-105 (4) sft in Feb.
Scaramouche 12-1 (11-0) Led to 4th, led approaching 7th, ridden, headed approaching 3 out, jumped left, no chance after, 2nd of 4, 15l behind Lightning Strike (11-0) at Wincanton 2m 5f beg chs (4) sft in Dec.
Smoke Trail (IRE) 14-1 (11-0) Held up, struggling 8th, always in rear, 10th of 13, 26l behind Battlefield (10-5) at Ludlow 2m hcp chs 0-110 (4) gs in Feb.
Terrible Tenant 40-1 (9-12) Prominent, ridden 4 out, went distant 2nd 4 out, weakened flat, 3rd of 10, 12l behind Le Burf (11-6) at Wincanton 2m 5f hcp chs 0-125 (3) gs in Jan.
Triggernometry 4-1 (12-2) Chased leaders, ridden and struggling from 14th, tailed off, 4th of 8, 38l behind Bannister Lane (11-12) at Sandown 3m amt chs (3) sft in Feb.
Clifden Boy (IRE) 10-1 (10-13) In touch, mistake 10th, weakening when blundered badly 11th and pulled up in race won by Joe Deane (10-11) at Taunton 2m 7f hcp chs 0-100 (4) gs in Nov, 12 ran.
