held up in rear, not fluent 5th, headway from 7th, disputing 2nd 4 out, not fluent and no impression on winner 2 out, no extra and dropped to 4th towards finish
chased leader 3rd until 6th, hit 8th, 2nd from 4 out, no impression on winner 2 out, lost 2nd close home
led until 9th, lost place after 4 out, rallied last, went 2nd close home, no impression on winner
held up in rear, not fluent 4th, never threatened, well beaten from 3 out
chased leaders, closed before 5th, went 2nd next, challenged 7th, led 9th, clear before 2 out, stayed on well
chased leader until 3rd, lost place 5th, effort final bend, weakened 3 out
File Illico has been raised 5lb for a hard fought success at Wetherby while Rose Sea Has posted one of her better efforts when runner-up at Chepstow but has a poor strike rate over fences. DESQUE DE L’ISLE (NAP) is preferred given he’s been competing in tougher races than this since winning over course and distance in November and Venetia Williams’ yard is in fine form. Yourholidayisover was second at Bangor recently but races from 15lb out of the weights in this higher grade.
Desque De L'Isle (FR) 11-2 (11-4) Raced keenly, jumped left on occasions, led before 2nd, hung left before 5th, went clear next, reduced advantage 8th, headed next, lost place 4 out, pushed along next, no extra from 2 out, 5th of 7, 7 1/4l behind Another Crick (11-7) at Wincanton 2m hcp (3) sft in Jan.
File Illico (FR) 9-2 (11-12) Tracked leader, led 7th, joined and not fluent 4 out, mistake and headed 2 out, chased leader when not fluent next, driven and rallied to lead close home, won at Wetherby 1m 7f hcp (4) hvy in Jan beating Relkadam (10-12) by 1/2l, 6 ran.
Rose Sea Has (FR) 20-1 (11-2) Led until after 1st, 2nd until before next, went 2nd again after 5th, no impression on winner from 3 out, kept on, 2nd of 8, 4 1/4l behind Le Ligerien (11-2) at Chepstow 2m hcp (4) hvy in Jan.
Court Royale (IRE) 25-1 (10-10) Held up in last pair, ridden and beaten before 3 out, never a factor, tailed off, last of 9, dist behind Rockstar Ronnie (11-9) at Kempton 2m 2f hcp (3) gd in Nov.
Billingsley (IRE) 7-1 (11-0) Led after 1st, headed 5 out, weakening when blundered 3 out, 5th of 8, dist behind Le Ligerien (11-2) at Chepstow 2m hcp (4) hvy in Jan.
Yourholidayisover (IRE) 25-1 (10-0) Held up in mid-division, left 3rd 4 out, led before 2 out, ridden flat, headed towards finish, 2nd of 7, 1 1/2l behind Royal Act (10-0) at Bangor-on-Dee 2m 1f hcp (5) hvy in Jan.
