tracked winner until 3rd, chased leading pair, pushed along and outpaced when mistake 11th, weakened into remote 4th 4 out, tailed off
jumped well, made all, in command from 4 out, kept on strongly, unchallenged
often jumped left, raced in last, outpaced and struggling from 9th, went remote 3rd 4 out, tailed off
never that fluent, tracked leading pair, tracked winner 3rd, hit 5th and next, went left 10th, no chance from 4 out, kept on for clear 2nd
Amour de Nuit failed to land the odds at Leicester but the winner scored again at that track earlier this week. POKER SCHOOL is still 4lb higher than when last successful here more than two years ago but looks better treated than his rivals and can end his losing run. Mercian Prince is 5lb higher than when taking this last year but won later at Wetherby off a higher mark, though has shown little since. Casse Tete has also been out of sorts for a while and would have preferred softer going.
Amour de Nuit (IRE) 4-11fav (11-10) Led after 2nd, headed narrowly after 2 out, ridden and every chance flat, just held, 2nd of 3, 1/2l behind Desirable Court (10-12) at Leicester 2m 4f (3) gf in Dec.
Mercian Prince (IRE) 10-1 (11-8) Chased leaders on inside, lost place 6th, still in touch 4 out, weakened 2 out, 7th of 9, 17l behind Capeland (11-0) at Ludlow 2m hcp (2) sft in Dec.
Casse Tete (FR) 11-1 (11-5) Towards rear when blundered badly and unseated rider soon after 7th, at Ascot 2m 5f hcp (2) gd in Nov.
Poker School (IRE) 10-3 (11-2) Chased winner, went left and pecked 1st, fiddled 6th, pushed along before 3 out, well held before the last, lost 2nd run-in, weakened, 3rd of 4, 5 1/2l behind Darebin (10-5) at Sandown 2m hcp (2) gs in Jan.
