held up, ridden 4 out, no impression next, no chance when mistake 2 out
keen early, close up on outside, weakening when blundered 4 out, behind when pulled up before 2 out
held up behind, steady headway 4 out, effort when jumped left 2 out, ridden and hung left under pressure flat, stayed on to take 2nd near finish
chased leader to 3 out, soon one pace
held up mid-division, steady headway 10th, effort 3 out, challenged next, led before last, ridden and stayed on well flat
in touch, ridden 3 out, no impression before next
in touch, lost place quickly after 7th, pulled up before next, dismounted
led to before last, kept on same pace, lost 2nd near finish
not fluent, held up behind, ridden 4 out, never dangerous
in touch, ridden and outpaced 3 out, no impression from next
mid-division, effort before 3 out, no extra from next
mid-division, weakened after 11th, behind when pulled up before 3 out
raced keenly in mid-division, lost place 9th, soon beaten
WEE FORBEES is our selection with Stagecoach Amber and Or De Grugy others on the shortlist. Mick Easterby's charge has two ugly unseats on his card but he handles fast ground and provided that the jumping keeps together, even with top weight, he makes a fair degree of appeal. Stagecoach Amber continues to make his way up the ranks. He has been allowed an uncontested lead against weaker opposition in the past so it remains to be seen as to whether any of the other riders wishes to take him on. Locally trained, Or De Grugy, may be better on a slower surface though he arrives fresh off a Kelso success. Jack The Blaster is much better than his recent Ascot run suggests. Scots Dragoon has not been seen out for a while though he should not be kept out of calculations as his better form has obtained on this surface. Rimsky produced another likeable effort at Carlisle though he is not as effective on this surface as he is on others. Its Crucial, with Paddy Brennan, may therefore be the pick of the two Twiston-Davies runners. Categorical, off bottom weight, is sure to have his supporters, after a couple of near misses. A good race and Wee Forbees is our selection in it.
Abragante (IRE) 33-1 (11-2) Towards rear, never dangerous, 16th of 18, well behind Lough Derg (11-10) at Ascot 2m 3f hcp hdl Gr2 (1) gs in Jan.
Wee Forbees (IRE) 2-1fav (11-11) Led, blundered and unseated rider 3rd, in a race won by Borora (11-5) at Wetherby 2m 4f hcp chs 0-135 (3) gd in Mar, 5 ran.
Jack The Blaster 12-1 (11-12) Rear of main group, struggling when mistake 13th, tailed off and pulled up before 2 out, in a race won by Fire And Rain (10-6) at Ascot 2m 5f hcp chs 0-125 (3) gd in Mar, 9 ran.
Or de Grugy (FR) 15-2 (11-6) Mid-division, headway and every chance 3 out, soon led, ridden and kept on under pressure flat, won at Kelso 3m 1f hcp chs 0-125 (3) gd in Mar beating Snowy (10-3) by 3/4l, 11 ran.
Native Coral (IRE) 11-1 (10-3) Mid-division, headway and in touch 5 out, ridden to chase winner 2 out, lost 2nd flat, kept on, 3rd of 13, 12l behind Big Fella Thanks (11-2) at Doncaster 3m lstd hcp chs (1) sft in Jan.
Rimsky (IRE) 7-1 (11-7) Tracked leader, led approaching 10th, ridden and headed approaching 2 out, weakened last, 5th of 11, 13l behind Antonius Caesar (11-5) at Carlisle 3m hcp chs 0-130 (3) gd.
Scots Dragoon 5-2fav (11-3) Chased leading pair, chased leader 5th until 13th, weakened next, pulled up 2 out, in a race won by Backbord (11-0) at Fakenham 3m noc chs (3) gs in Nov, 7 ran.
Stagecoach Amber (USA) 11-4 (11-2) Made all, clear approaching last, won at Market Rasen 2m 4f hcp chs 0-115 (4) gd beating Cardington (10-8) by 4l, 9 ran.
Le Roi Rouge (FR) 10-1 (11-9) Behind, headway from 15th to lead 3 out, headed next, ridden and every chance last, driven and kept on one pace flat, 3rd of 11, 2 1/2l behind Or de Grugy (11-6) at Kelso 3m 1f hcp chs 0-125 (3) gd in Mar.
King Of The Arctic (IRE) 6-1 (11-9) Chased leaders, ridden approaching 3 out, kept on from last, no chance with winner, 2nd of 10, 10l behind Nelson's Spice (10-13) at Market Rasen 2m 4f hcp chs 0-125 (3) gd in Aug.
Manhattan Boy (GER) 22-1 (11-10) Tracked leaders, hit 7th, behind from next, 6th of 8, 24l behind Professor Higgins (10-8) at Kelso 2m 1f hcp chs 0-125 (3) gd.
Its Crucial (IRE) 7-2 (11-5) Blundered 1st, with leader, led 5th until 8th, led 9th until hit 4 out, weakened 2 out, 4th of 6, 16l behind Gershwin (10-6) at Newbury 2m 1f hcp chs 0-125 (3) gd in Mar.
Categorical 5-2fav (11-9) Held up in touch, chased leaders after 5 out, ridden after 4 out, chased winner last, no impression, 2nd of 8, 7l behind Johnny Roche (11-4) at Musselburgh 2m 4f hcp ch 0-110 (4) gf in Mar.
