chased leaders, headway to lead 4th, hit next, narrowly headed 12th, chased leader, every chance when mistake 4 out, ridden stayed on same pace and no chance with winner from after 2 out, held on for 2nd
led until 4th, chased leader until 10th, chased leaders, ridden 13th, mistake 3 out, disputing 3rd under pressure when went right bumped and fell 2 out
mistakes, chased leaders, not fluent and dropped to 4th at 3rd, slow 9th and next, blundered 13th, soon ridden, 3rd and one pace from 2 out, kept pressing for 2nd flat
held up in last pair, headway to chase leaders 6th, went 2nd 10th, led 12th, going best 2 out, pushed along and came clear between last 2
took keen hold and held up in last pair, headway on inside to get in behind leaders 8th, in rear and outpaced 13th, left poor 4th 2 out, tailed off
Nonrunner
Un Guet Apens fell on his fencing bow at Wetherby but finished almost four lengths ahead of DIOCLES when runner-up to Tap Night over 2m here next time. However, Donald McCain's seven-year-old was making his debut over the larger obstacles that day and, with the extra half-mile in his favour, can now reverse the form and land this. Balding Banker has been placed in a couple of handicaps at Musselburgh recently and should be thereabouts again while Nuts N Bolts has scope for further improvement and looks the pick of Lucinda Russell's pair ahead of the returning Bobble Hat Bob. Aibrean has been off the track for a while but Steve Crawford's mare has won three times over hurdles and between the flags and is worth noting for when she is upped in distance.
Balding Banker (IRE) 13-2 (11-3) Towards rear, blundered 1st, headway before 11th, ridden before last, kept on, 3rd of 14, 5l behind Isla Pearl Fisher (10-12) at Musselburgh 3m hcp chs 0-135 (3) gs in Dec.
Bobble Hat Bob (FR) 16-1 (11-6) Tracked leaders, blundered 7th, soon weakened, tailed off, 7th of 8, well behind Connectivity (12-0) at Uttoxeter 2m 6f hcp hdl 0-130 (3) gd in Apr '11.
Diocles (IRE) 9-4 (11-0) Tracked leaders, closed to take close 2nd 8th, led after 3 out, ridden and headed just after next, no extra flat, 3rd of 4, 9l behind Tap Night (11-0) at Ayr 2m nov chs (4) hvy.
Nuts N Bolts 5-1 (11-0) Held up, headway 2nd, went 3rd 12th, no impression before 2 out, 3rd of 6, 16l behind Real Milan (11-7) at Ayr 3m 1f nov chs (4) hvy.
Un Guet Apens (FR) 14-1 (10-10) Tracked leader, led 8th, headed after 3 out, still upsides winner who was travelling strongly when mistake last, no impression, one pace, 2nd of 4, 5l behind Tap Night (11-0) at Ayr 2m nov chs (4) hvy.
My Mate Vic (IRE) 100-1 (10-7) Tracked leaders, steadied to last before 2nd, not fluent 4th, pulled up after 13th, in a race won by Real Milan (11-7) at Ayr 3m 1f nov chs (4) hvy, 6 ran.
Aibrean (IRE) 25-1 (10-6) Behind, headway into mid-division 3 out, never near leaders, 8th of 20, 23l behind Dynaste (10-13) at Haydock 3m hcp hdl Grade 3 (1) gs in Nov '11.
