in rear and outpaced, struggling from 6th, tailed off, soon pulled up after 7th
made all, clear from 3 out, stayed on strongly
tracked winner until 3rd, quickliy weakened and not fluent from 7th, soon tailed off, pulled up before 8th
towards rear, pushed along after 7th, some headway, well held in 4th when fell 2 out
tracked leaders in 3rd, with winner 3rd, ridden before 11th, no chance with winner from 3 out, lost 2nd place last
in touch in 4th, chased winner from last, no impression
in touch in 4th, effort before 3 out, never dangerous
Upton Mead and his young conditional rider have been making hay of late but he is up 15lb for two recent wins and this looks a somewhat tougher assignment. He remains one for the shortlist, whilst Tchang Goon is once again way out of the handicap and Lough Coi has landed both successes this term on heavy ground and faces a demanding ask off topweight under faster conditions. Weston Lodge has yet to reproduce his hurdling form in three runs over fences but these remain early days and the likelihood is that he will do so sooner or later. However, the vote is awarded to LAST SHOT for the Venetia Williams team. He boasts plenty of fencing experience to his name, has posted some perfectly acceptable form in the book without winning and should very much appreciate this drop in distance on the evidence of his latest effort at Huntingdon when weakening late on over further.
Lough Coi (IRE) 5-1 (11-1) Held up in rear, headway after 9th, ridden 12th, well beaten when taking modest 3rd before 2 out, 3rd of 8, 34l behind Rouge Et Blanc (11-4) at Huntingdon 2m 4f hcp ch 0-110 (4) gs in Feb.
Last Shot (FR) 7-2fav (11-12) Chased leaders, ridden approaching 2 out, no extra when hit last, 5th of 10, 17l behind Five Rivers (11-4) at Huntingdon 2m 4f hcp chs 0-105 (4) gd.
Weston Lodge (IRE) 9-4fav (10-12) Prominent, not fluent 1st, mistake 5th, hit 7th, outpaced after 5 out, stayed on flat, went 2nd towards finish, no chance with winner, 2nd of 11, 26l behind Marie Des Anges (10-3) at Wetherby 2m 4f nov chs 0-110 (4) sft in Feb.
To Live (FR) 8-1 (11-2) Tracked leaders, in lead early in back straight, close 2nd 8th, led 4 out, headed before next, stayed on same pace flat, 3rd of 8, 3 1/2l behind Morgan's Bay (10-11) at Leicester 2m nov hcp chs 0-115 (4) sft.
Ballyboker Boy (IRE) 12-1 (10-12) Tracked leaders on outside, led 5th, headed next, not fluent 8th, lost place 10th, well held before 4 out, 5th of 11, well behind Marie Des Anges (10-3) at Wetherby 2m 4f nov chs 0-110 (4) sft in Feb.
Upton Mead (IRE) 11-8fav (9-10) Tracked leading pair, left 2nd after 7th, outpaced 10th, ridden next, headway to press leader 3 out, led soon after, stayed on, won at Plumpton 2m 4f 5yo nov hcp (4) sft beating Callhimwhatyouwant (11-5) by 11l, 4 ran.
Tchang Goon (FR) 12-1 (10-0) With leader, not fluent 1st, led 3rd, headed 6th, reminders after next, led 8th, mistake 4 out, headed and 3rd when mistake 3 out, no impression 2 out, jumped left last, plugged on to take 2nd towards finish, 2nd of 5, 7l behind Join The Navy (11-4) at Fontwell 2m 2f hcp chs 0-95 (5) hvy.
