keen early, raced wide, held up, reminders and struggling after 7th, soon lost touch, tailed off and pulled up before 8th
tracked leaders, went 2nd 4th until not fluent 8th, chased leaders, went 2nd 2 out, no chance with winner, blundered last
chased leader until 4th, chased leaders, pushed along after 7th, soon struggling, tailed off and pulled after 10th
led, pushed along and headed before 2 out, lost 2nd 2 out, weakened
held up tracking leaders, went 2nd 8th, led going well before 2 out, went clear between last 2, easily
Veteran CULTRAM ABBEY seeks a third course victory and this is generally his time of year. He was far from disgraced on his reappearance here in December and is on a fair mark at present. Ascot De Bruyere is a danger having been dropped 7lb since the start of the season, though is still 5lb higher than when last successful. Crixus's Escape has more scope than his rivals and should also be thereabouts but, like Pain Au Chocolat, has yet to prove he stays this far. Pougne Bobbi may be best watched after two years off the track.
Pain Au Chocolat (FR) 8-1 (11-12) Tracked leaders on outside, challenged 8th, mistake 3 out, blundered and weakened 2 out, 4th when pulled up before last, at Wetherby 2m 3f hcp (3) sft in Dec.
Pougne Bobbi (FR) 16-1 (10-11) Towards rear, under pressure before 3 out, ridden and kept on approaching last, never threatened leaders, 7th of 22, 18 3/4l behind The Storyteller (11-4) at Cheltenham 2m 5f hcp (1) sft in Mar.
Cultram Abbey 8-1 (11-5) Tracked leader, challenged after last, weakened run-in, 5th of 7, 13l behind Claud And Goldie (11-1) at Kelso 2m 6f hcp (2) sft in Dec.
Ascot De Bruyere (FR) 12-1 (10-6) Behind, brought down 14th, at Doncaster 3m 2f hcp (2) hvy in Feb.
Crixus's Escape (IRE) 9-1 (10-12) Tracked leaders, effort and every chance on outside 3 out, ridden before last, kept on but no impression with winner when hung left flat, 2nd of 5, 3 3/4l behind Saint Sonnet (11-2) at Catterick 2m 3f (4) hvy in Feb.
