keen in touch, headway 3 out, led next, stayed on well
held up in rear, headway after 4 out, soon chasing leaders, effort 2 out, weakened last
held up in touch, headway into 3rd 2 out, stayed on into 2nd closing stages, never reached winner
tracked clear leader, took closer order 4th, under pressure 3 out, soon weakened
jumped slowly in rear, beaten 5 out, pulled up after 3 out
refused to race
led, soon 10 lengths clear, headed 2 out, rallied last, kept on same pace and lost 2nd close home
NonRunner
Several won their penultimate starts including Cornerstone Lad, a winner at Haydock with Keyboard Gangster well beaten before placing on faster going at Kelso last time. Ninepointsixthree also struggled in good ground at Catterick having won easily at Sedgefield earlier but Altruism’s success at Carlisle came over a longer trip back in 2017. It remains to be seen if MANAMITE has more joy on his first start since scoring at Musselburgh in February as he’s been raised 10lb but Ben Haslam’s charge beat subsequent winner Kelpies Myth easily enough on that occasion and is taken to go in again.
Cornerstone Lad 9-1 (11-2) Held up in rear, well in touch when hampered 2 out, lost momentum and ridden after, hanging left in 3rd before last, no impression, 3rd of 4, 8 3/4l behind We Have A Dream (11-7) at Kelso 2m 2f (2) gd in Feb.
Keyboard Gangster (IRE) 16-1 (11-4) Mistake 1st, detached in rear, headway after 4 out, driven to chase leaders before next, never on terms, weakened 2 out, 6th of 12, 33 1/2l behind Ballyandy (11-12) at Uttoxeter 2m 4f hcp (2) sft in Jan.
Altruism (IRE) 16-1 (11-10) Led, headed 7 out, lost place quickly before 3 out, tailed off, last of 7, dist behind Joke Dancer (11-2) at Newcastle 2m hcp (2) gs in Feb.
Aristo Du Plessis (FR) 20-1 (11-7) Led until 1st, led 3rd, headed before last, soon weakened, 10th of 12, 14l behind Winston C (11-12) at Kelso 2m hcp (2) gd in Mar.
Manamite (FR) 10-1 (11-7) Held up in last pair, headway after 4 out, chased leaders 2 out, led just after last, ran on, won at Musselburgh 2m hcp (4) gd in Feb beating Kelpies Myth (11-12) by 6l, 9 ran.
Ninepointsixthree 11-4 (11-12) Prominent to 2nd, towards rear, blundered and rider lost iron 2 out (usual 3 out), not recover and pulled up soon after, at Catterick 2m hcp (3) gd in Feb.
Beyondtemptation 13-2 (11-0) Led to 2 out, soon weakened, 7th of 9, 31l behind Glinger Flame (11-9) at Hexham 2m 4f hcp (4) gs in Mar.
Will O'The West (IRE) 25-1 (12-0) Held up last, closer in 4th after 7th, 3rd when jumped slowly next, pushed along and outpaced after 3 out, weakened into 4th soon after, 5th of 6, dist behind Iwilldoit (11-6) at Catterick 3m 1f hcp (4) sft in Mar.
