led, headed 8th, ridden and soon weakened, pulled up before 10th
held up in mid-division, ridden 15th, soon weakened
chased leader, led 8th, blundered 14th, headed 16th, ridden and outpaced 17th, rallied and led approaching 3 out, clear 2 out, eased flat
prominent, led 16th, headed approaching 3 out, well held in 2nd when blundered badly last
prominent, ridden 16th, weakened 17th
prominent, mistake 12th and ridden, lost touch 13th, pulled up before 14th
held up towards rear, headway and chased leaders 10th, jumped badly left 3 out and 2 out, weakening when refused and unseated rider last
always behind, lost touch 14th, pulled up before 3 out
The vote here goes to Memphis Beury ahead of Henrietta, Tribal Dancer, Even More and Lord Seamus. Memphis Beury won well at Doncaster last time, and with the five-year-old seeming to have got it together now, a five-pound rise in the ratings might not be enough to stop him from winning again. Jollyshau might find his penalty for success working against him. Belski is actually two pounds below the mark from which he won at Exeter in March 2004, although he'll need to step up on more-recent efforts to bag the spoils today. Henrietta did not set the world alight on her chasing debut last time but would hold very good claims on the best of her hurdling form, and Even More, racing from a mark that is now two pounds above a winning one, can also be given a shout. Tribal Dancer is now just a pound above a winning mark and, in what is not the strongest race overall, has also to be considered, and Lord Seamus has not performed too badly in two runs since winning at Exeter. However, at today's weights, we are happy to side with Memphis Beury.
Lord Seamus 7-2 Led, mistake 11th, ridden and mistake 3 out, soon headed and weakened, 3rd of 7, 3 1/2l behind Moving Earth at Kempton 3m hcp chs 0-120 (D) gd in Nov.
Tribal Dancer (IRE) 12-1 Led to 6th, led again 7th to 9th, weakened approaching 3 out, 8th of 13, 21l behind Lowe Go at Ludlow 3m hcp hdl 0-115 (D) gs in Jan.
Even More (IRE) 6-1 Held up, mistake 11th, soon struggling and behind, tailed off, 7th of 9, well behind Harrycone Lewis at Huntingdon 3m hcp chs 0-120 (D) gd in Jan.
Treasulier (IRE) 40-1 In rear, ridden 8th, mistake 10th and 11th, lost touch 12th, soon tailed off, 5th of 7, well behind Control Man at Exeter 3m 1f nov chs (C) gs in Jan.
Belski 10-1 In touch, tracked leaders 10th, blundered 13th, soon weakened, 4th of 10, well behind Home James at Exeter 2m 7f hcp chs 0-120 (D) gs in Jan.
Rufius (IRE) 33-1 Held up, headway 11th, not fluent next, weakened 4 out, tailed off when pulled up 2 out in race won by Kausse de Thaix at Towcester 3m hcp chs 0-95 (F) gs in Jan, 14 ran.
Menphis Beury (FR) 6-1 Held up in touch, went 2nd approaching 4 out, led 2 out, kept on well, won at Doncaster 3m nov hcp chs 0-105 (E) gd in Jan beating Benefit by 2 1/2l, 8 ran.
