raced keenly, tracked leaders until held up mid-division after 2nd, tracked leaders again 4th, effort before 2 out, every chance last, no extra in 4th, flat
held up towards rear, headway 4 out, chased leaders before 2 out, ridden and stayed on to chase leading pair flat, no impression
held up towards rear, raced wide before 3rd, outpaced 4 out, never on terms, weakened 2 out
led, headed 3 out, ridden and one pace after 2 out, lost place before last, no extra
tracked leaders, mistake 4 out, ridden and one pace after next, weakened from 2 out
tracked leader, mistake 3rd, lost place next, outpaced before 4 out, soon behind
tracked leaders on outside, hampered 3rd, lost place 5th, soon outpaced, chased leaders when mistake 3 out, rallied before last, ridden to lead briefly flat, held towards finish
held up in rear, raced wide before 3rd, outpaced 3 out, never dangerous
tracked leaders on inside, switched right and went 2nd approaching 4th, led narrowly 3 out, ridden and headed briefly flat, hung right towards finish, held on
Keith Reveley runs two in this with Sedgefield winner Ivan Boru preferred to Robbie, who is better over fences nowadays. The trainer should have a good line on Avidity, beaten by the stable's Brave Spartacus here last time. Dark Dune beat Midnight Game by five lengths over track and trip last month but the runner-up is better off at the weights today so there shouldn't be much between them. Lightening Rod had Emral Silk back in fourth when winning at Wetherby in the autumn and is back in the right grade here but may lack the class of PEARL CASTLE. Second-season hurdlers always find it tough in handicaps and John Quinn's charge is no exception. But it's less than a year since he was finishing fifth in a Grade 1 at Punchestown and he also ran well in the Galway Plate after winning on the Flat - he can overcome an absence to land this.
Pearl Castle (IRE) 14-1 (10-1) Mid-division, 10th 2 out, switched right run-in and kept on into 6th close home, 6th of 20, 7l behind Thomas Edison (10-6) at Galway 2m hcp hdl gd in Jul.
Lightening Rod 66-1 (11-1) Always in rear, struggling when hit 3 out, tailed off when puled up before last, in a race won by Wicklow Brave (11-4) at Cheltenham 2m 1f hcp hdl G3 (1) sft, 24 ran.
Robbie 7-1 (11-12) Led until 1st, tracked leader, hit 5 out, led before 3 out, headed approaching next, stayed on same pace, 3rd of 6, 6l behind Dresden (10-12) at Doncaster 2m hcp chs (2) gd in Feb.
Dark Dune (IRE) 11-2 (11-1) Led, blundered and unseated rider 1st, in a race won by Purple 'n Gold (10-2) at Haydock 2m hcp hdl 0-140 (3) gs, 11 ran.
Midnight Game 33-1 (10-6) Mid-division when mistake 5th, pushed along and weakened on long run before 2 out, 11th of 23, 25l behind Ebony Express (10-7) at Sandown 2m hcp hdl Grade 3 (1) gs.
Ivan Boru (IRE) 11-4 (11-8) Led until before 3 out, every chance when left in lead last, kept on well, won at Sedgefield 2m 1f hcp hdl 0-120 (4) gd beating Hartside (10-12) by 3 1/2l, 6 ran.
Emral Silk 9-4fav (11-1) In rear, jumped left 3 out, headway before and mistake and pecked badly 2 out, soon weakened, pulled up, in a race won by Raktiman (10-9) at Market Rasen 2m 3f hcp hdl 0-135 (3) gs in Feb, 7 ran.
Jet Master (IRE) 20-1 (10-12) Always behind, weakened before 3 out, 6th of 8, 47l behind Sa Suffit (10-12) at Ayr 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-140 (3) sft.
Avidity 7-1 (10-13) Towards rear, headway before 3 out, went 3rd before last, chased winner run-in, kept on well towards finish, 2nd of 6, 2 1/4l behind Brave Spartacus (10-11) at Newcastle 2m hcp hdl 0-130 (3) sft.
