held up behind, not fluent 5th, headway 3 out, effort next, stayed on to chase winner flat, just held on for 2nd
led, driven and headed approaching 3 out, ridden and one pace last, no impression flat
held up behind, headway on outside 5th, effort 2 out, soon ridden, stayed on towards finish, just failed for 2nd
tracked leader, challenged after 4 out, led approaching next, headed before 2 out, ridden and gradually weakened flat
held up in 3rd, headway before 3 out, led before next, ridden between last 2, kept on under pressure flat
Trucking Along scored over 2m6f on an earlier foray to this track but is 10lb higher today. Akdam needed 2m4f to get his head back in front at Fakenham last month and Another Maite is upped in class after a string of placed efforts. Great Link followed up a win over timber with victory on the Flat at Wolverhampton and should go well, but Stormin Exit's recent success came in a seller at Musselburgh and this is tougher. FINAL ASSAULT came good in maiden hurdle over track and trip last month and he gets the vote with further progress expected from Lucinda Russell's charge now he's finally off the mark.
Trucking Along (IRE) 9-1 (11-6) Towards rear, no extra from after 2 out, 11th of 14, 38l behind Glen Beg (9-12) at Naas 2m hcp hdl sft in Jan.
Stormin Exit (IRE) 10-1 (10-5) Prominent, mistake 3rd, lost place 6th, not fluent 8th or 4 out, hit 3 out, stayed on well flat, just failed to get 3rd, 4th of 7, 3l behind Swift Arrow (11-4) at Musselburgh 2m hcp chs 0-140 (3) sft.
Another Mattie (IRE) 6-4 (11-5) Held up, headway 4th, went 2nd after next, ridden and edged left when pressing winner before last, hung left flat, no impression final 100 yards, 2nd of 5, 3 1/2l behind Stellar Notion (11-5) at Newcastle 2m nov hdl (4) hvy in Jan.
Final Assault (IRE) 7-4 (11-4) Held up in rear, headway after 5 out, went 2nd 2 out, challenging when left in lead and clear last, won at Ayr 2m NH mdn hdl (5) hvy in Jan beating Mclovin (11-1) by 10l, 6 ran.
Great Link 7-2 (11-3) Tracked leaders, headway to lead 3 out, driven before last, kept on, won at Ludlow 2m nov clm hdl (4) gd in Dec beating Rolling Dough (10-1) by 2 3/4l, 11 ran.
Akdam (IRE) 10-1 (11-1) Tracked leaders in 4th, went 3rd 8th, went 2nd well before 2 out, led well before last, stumbled on bend soon after, soon clear and ridden, idling when not fluent last, stayed on flat, won at Fakenham 2m 4f nov hcp hdl 0-120 (4) sft in Jan beating Make Me A Fortune (11-8) by 5l, 5 ran.
