prominent, went 2nd 8th to next, regained 2nd 14th, led 15th, strongly pressed 2 out, driven and already headed when blundered and unseated rider last
mid-division, headway after 14th, hit 3 out, 4th and no chance when blundered and unseated rider last
mistake 2nd, held up in rear, headway 14th, mistake next, 5th and ridden after 3 out, weakened next, pulled up before last
hit 2nd, in touch, headway to chase leaders and jumped left 9th, blundered 11th, pulled up before 13th
took keen hold early, hampered 1st, always in rear, tailed off when pulled up after 3 out
in touch, headway to chase leaders after 14th, challenged 2 out, led approaching last, headed flat, kept on towards finish
led, clear 5th, mistake 11th, ridden and headed 15th, weakened after 3 out
chased leader to 8th, weakened quickly 11th, blundered next, tailed off when pulled up before 15th
held up well in rear, blundered 12th, headway approaching 4 out, went 2nd 3 out, challenged last, led flat, kept on gamely
chased leaders, blundered 5th, mistake next, challenged 10th, blundered 14th, lost 2nd 3 out, weakening when mistake 2 out, pulled up before last
towards rear, jumped slowly 5th, blundered next, well in rear when mistake 16th, continued, tailed off
well in rear, steady headway approaching 4 out, stayed on from 2 out, left 3rd last
The presence of HOBBS HILL, Church Island and Ungaro in this Veterans' Handicap mean that it is a spectacle in itself and narrow preference is for Charlie Egerton's Hobbs Hill. A guaranteed prize fund of ¿25,000 means that this is a nice pot to win with some ageing horses and Hobbs Hill is one of the most lightly-raced in the field. With an official rating of 145 he is not easy to place but he has won at this track before, is dropping massively in grade and with the ground ideal he is unlikely to be far away. If however his jumping fails to hold up (has gone downhill since his Kempton fall a year ago), then it may be Ungaro who takes advantage. Keith Reveley's gelding has been a good advert for the yard and a repeat of his second to Big Fella Thanks at Doncaster in January would be enough to win this. Oscar Park returns to action, and Timmy Murphy looks an interesting jockey booking. Again he is lightly-raced and has a fine strike-rate; he was last seen in the RSA Chase in 2008 and this formerly classy hurdler is a big player. Church Island ran well behind Darkness last time and is to be respected despite this mark of 136 looking high enough for now, whilst Out The Black beat Ungaro last time and is preferred as a danger to Kitski and the diminutive Cool Roxy. A terrific race and Hobbs Hill is taken to last home over this trip in first-time cheek-pieces.
Hobbs Hill 10-1 (11-5) Mid-division, headway 11th, driven to chase leaders approaching 4 out, weakened from next, 8th of 15, 29l behind New Little Bric (10-2) at Newbury 2m 4f hcp chs G3 (1) gd in Feb.
Ungaro (FR) 5-1 (10-11) Tracked leaders, took closer order 6th, lost place 9th, blundered last, 5th of 8, 28l behind Out The Black (10-0) at Doncaster 3m 2f hcp chs (2) gf in Feb.
Oscar Park (IRE) 7-1 (11-4) Not fluent, held up, niggled along briefly after 8th, headway 15th, weakened after 4 out, 7th of 11, 42l behind Albertas Run (11-4) at Cheltenham 3m chs G1 (1) gs in Mar '08.
Church Island (IRE) 15-2 (11-5) In touch, hit 1st, driven along 9th, mistake 11th and 14th, left moderate 2nd after 17th, stayed on from 3 out, never able to challenge, 2nd of 8, 11l behind Darkness (11-12) at Newbury 3m 2f hcp chs 0-145 (2) gd in Feb.
Oneway (IRE) 11-1 (10-1) Chased leader, weakened from 5 out, 9th of 10, well behind I'msingingtheblues (11-0) at Doncaster 2m hcp chs (2) gs in Jan.
Out The Black (IRE) 11-2 (10-0) Tracked leaders 7th, led 3 out, driven out from last, won at Doncaster 3m 2f hcp chs (2) gf in Feb beating Gidam Gidam (10-0) by 1/2l, 8 ran.
Cool Roxy 9-4fav (11-9) Soon clear with leader, mistake 3rd, led briefly 10th, led again 12th, clear 3 out, idled and kept up to work flat, won at Fakenham 2m 5f hcp chs 0-135 (3) gs in Feb beating Cossack Dancer (11-9) by 4 1/2l, 6 ran.
Bleu Superbe (FR) 10-1 (10-13) Led, headed approaching 5 out, ridden and weakened 3 out, 4th of 7, 24l behind Bob Bob Bobbin (10-6) at Chepstow 2m hcp chs 0-145 (2) sft in Feb.
