chased leaders, reminder after 4th, not fluent 7th, lost place next, well held after
tracked leaders, went 2nd 3rd until approaching 4 out, soon ridden, chased winner from 2 out, no impression one pace
chased leaders, lost place 3rd, lost touch after 6th, pulled up before next
tracked leader until 3rd, not fluent 8th, every chance 3 out, mistake 2 out, no extra last
led, not always fluent, ridden when headed after 3 out, no extra next
held up, headway 8th, ridden approaching 3 out, soon beaten, went 3rd flat, no impression
held up, not fluent 5th (water), headway 7th, led after 3 out, clear last, ran on well
Opera Og's winning run came to a halt at Chepstow last month and he's been raised a further 5lb since. Al Qeddaaf was last on his reappearance and may need another run while it's difficult to make a case for Woody Waller and Quito Du Tresor on their form this season. ROSSINI'S DANCER won this last year and was also successful over course and distance in September. He's much higher in the weights now but is going right-handed again today and has shown enough over the winter to suggest he can win again off his current mark. Anay Turge won at Cheltenham last week but many of his rivals paid the price for going off too quickly and he'll find it harder here.
Woody Waller 22-1 (10-12) In touch, outpaced 4 out, soon weakened, tailed off when pulled up before 2 out, in a race won by Rumble Of Thunder (10-8) at Newcastle 2m hcp hdl 0-140 (3) gs, 7 ran.
Quito Du Tresor (FR) 10-1 (10-8) Held up in rear, mistake 7th, some headway into 5th 3 out, stayed on flat, never nearer, 5th of 9, 10l behind Prince Of Dreams (10-7) at Musselburgh 2m hcp chs 0-140 (3) gs in Feb.
Rossini's Dancer 7-1 (11-6) Held up towards rear, pushed along after 5 out, in 5th 4 out, badly hampered 3 out and left 3rd until before 2 out, no impression, 4th of 6, 14l behind Storming Gale (11-7) at Ayr 2m 4f hcp chs 0-135 (3) sft in Mar.
Opera Og (IRE) 5-6fav (11-13) Tracked leaders in 3rd, led 3 out, clear from 2 out, headed run-in, no extra, 2nd of 6, 4 1/2l behind Time To Think (11-5) at Chepstow 2m 3f hcp chs 0-115 (4) hvy in Mar.
Al Qeddaaf (IRE) 10-3 (11-6) With leader, mistake 5 out, ridden and weakened approaching 3 out, last of 5, 23l behind Wilde Pastures (11-1) at Ayr 2m hcp chs 0-140 (3) sft in Mar.
Galloping Gander (IRE) 16-1 (10-3) Towards rear, no impression approaching straight, fell 2 out, in a race won by Competitive Edge (10-10) at Gowran Park 2m 2f hcp chs hvy in Mar, 14 ran.
Anay Turge (FR) 10-1 (10-1) Raced off the pace in last quartet, closed 5th, went 2nd before 2 out, challenged and went left last, led flat, stayed on well to draw away towards finish, won at Cheltenham 2m cnd hcp chs (0-135) (3) sft beating Kie (11-3) by 4l, 8 ran.
