chased leaders, challenged before 3 out, hung left and led 2 out, soon edged right, went left again and clear last, stayed on
took keen hold, led 2nd, not fluent 3rd, not fluent and headed 4th, led approaching 6th, headed before mistake 3 out, soon weakened
led until 2nd, led 4th, headed before 6th, led again approaching 3 out, headed 2 out, soon switched right, mistake last, no impression flat
Kepagge is 2-2 under Rules but made hard work of landing the odds against modest opposition at Leicester on his hurdling debut and may be worth opposing under a penalty. FIRAK took a further step forward when runner-up at Warwick and can go one better here and Ben Pauling’s pair, Apple Rock and Now Is The Winter, have some improving to do and I’m Here has had a wind operation since pulled up in a chase in November.
Kepagge (IRE) 2-9fav (10-12) Led, jumped very slow and headed 1st, tracked leaders, jumped badly left and slow 2nd, led before 2 out, kept on well towards finish, won at Leicester 2m 4f (4) hvy in Dec beating Bendy Bow (10-12) by 1 1/4l, 4 ran.
Apple Rock (IRE) 8-1 (11-4) Tracked leader, driven and lost place after 3 out, ridden and well held in 4th after next, 4th of 12, 17 1/4l behind Carys' Commodity (11-4) at Catterick 2m 3f mdn (4) sft in Jan.
Firak (FR) 3-1 (11-4) Mid-division, headway before 8th, went 2nd last, hung left flat, no impression on winner, kept on, 2nd of 12, 2l behind Trincomalee (11-4) at Warwick 2m 5f (4) gs in Feb.
I'm Here (IRE) 16-1 (11-1) Prominent, mistake 9th, weakened 5 out, pulled up after next, at Exeter 3m (2) sft in Nov.
Now Is The Winter (IRE) 10-1 (11-6) Prominent, not fluent 2nd, lost place when not fluent 4th, weakened before 7th, pulled up before 3 out, at Ludlow 2m 5f mdn (4) sft in Jan.
