behind, hit 4th, outpaced 4 out, never on terms
mid-division, headway, chased leader 9th, every chance last, ridden no extra flat
blundered 8th, baldy hampered, unseated rider 9th
tracked leader, lost place 9th, weakened 4 out
mid-division, outpaced 6th, soon struggling behind when hampered and unseated rider 9th
held up behind, ridden and headway 4 out, led last, stayed on flat
led, 4 lengths clear 4 out, ridden and headed last, no extra
mid-division, outpaced 7th, ridden and headway 4 out, disputing 3rd when blundered and unseated rider next
mid-division, headway when mistake 8th, 3rd and in touch and fell next
tracked leader, hit 4th, 5th and in touch when brought down 9th
Nonrunner
Ferdy Murphy has had a memorable week at the Cheltenham Festival and is taken to have more success here with Barton Sun, who gets the vote ahead of Sparkling Taff and Yvanovitch. The last mentioned ran better at Sandown last time and has claims if improving on that effort again. Ton-Chee has not shown much worthwhile form of late but has slipped to a fair mark as a result, while Annibale Caro is hard to recommend on this season's evidence. Flaming Heck would probably want a more testing surface and of more interest may be Sue Smith's Sparkling Taff, who looks to be going the right way now. Like a lot of Ferdy Murphy's horses though, Barton Sun has shown improved form of late and he is taken to win again.
Lofty Leader (IRE) 28-1 (10-8) Close up, weakened approaching 2 out, behind when pulled up 3 out in race won by Hollows Mill (10-0) at Carlisle 2m 1f hcp hdl 0-120 (3) sft in Feb, 13 ran.
Sparkling Taff 7-1 (11-3) Tracked leader, challenged 3 out, every chance last, ridden and kept on to chase winner flat, 2nd of 7, 3 1/2l behind Primus Inter Pares (11-3) at Catterick 2m mdn chs (4) sft.
Yvanovitch (FR) 7-2 (10-1) Held up in 5th, went 3rd 4th, closed on leaders approaching 2 out, one pace and no impression flat, 3rd of 6, 5l behind Offemont (11-7) at Sandown 2m hcp chs 0-125 (3) sft.
Kharak (FR) 33-1 (11-12) Always behind, beaten when pulled up 3 out in race won by Marshall Hall (11-8) at Ayr 2m nov hcp chs 0-100 (4) sft, 11 ran.
Hutch 100-1 (11-4) Tracked leaders, dropped to 4th at 3rd, ridden 5th, weakened next, last of 4, well behind Caribou (10-12) at Leicester 2m beg chs (4) sft in Feb.
Ton-Chee 14-1 (11-6) Held up, hit 8th, weakened when hampered 3 out, 4th of 10, 25l behind High Calibre (11-13) at Catterick 2m nov hcp chs 0-105 (4) sft in Jan.
Annibale Caro 50-1 (11-4) Always towards rear, 6th of 14, 31l behind Pevensey (11-10) at Musselburgh 2m nov hdl (3) gs in Jan.
Barton Sun (IRE) 3-1 (11-6) Held up, ridden and outpaced 4 out, under pressure and kept on, left 4th last, 4th of 10, 13l behind Femme D'avril (10-12) at Hereford 2m hcp chs 0-95 (5) sft in Feb.
Darnley 20-1 (11-2) Mid-division, lost place 10th, soon behind, tailed off when pulled up 3 out in race won by Cloudmor (11-8) at Sedgefield 2m 4f hcp chs 0-95 (5) hvy in Jan, 10 ran.
Ideal du Bois Beury (FR) 28-1 (10-10) Mid-division, headway when mistake 7th, ridden 4 out, soon weakened, 11th of 13, 47l behind Thatlldoforme (10-13) at Kelso 2m 6f hcp hdl 0-110 (4) hvy.
Flaming Heck 18-1 (10-9) Prominent, went 2nd approaching 5th, disputed lead from 8th until 3 out, soon weakened and pulled up at the last in race won by Marshall Hall (10-0) at Catterick 2m hcp chs 0-115 (4) hvy in Feb, 14 ran.
