midfield, lost place 9th, struggling from halfway
tracked leaders, went second after, 4 out, led last, ridden out
led, headed last, kept on
towards rear, struggling from halfway
held up in rear, pushed along 5 out, headway after 3 out, soon ridden and no impression
held up ,headway 9th and in touch, ridden 4 out ,one paced from next
midfield, ridden 6 out, no impression, pulled up
in touch, mistake 15th, soon ridden, weakened 3 out
tracked leader until ridden after 4 out, one paced next
A competitive affair in which most have some sort of chance, though the handicapper appears to have a grip on Buachaill Alainn while Bertie Boru has disappointed this season. Arbeo was all out to win a weaker contest at Huntingdon last month and is 9lb higher but Fond Memory goes on the short-list as he makes more appeal than Sands Cove and Elenika at the weights. Beg To Differ is tried in a visor after a string of placed efforts but his latest second at Cheltenham came in a higher grade and Richard Johnson keeps faith with Jonjo O'Neill's novice. DANCING SHADOW made relentless headway in the closing stages when second over 2m4f here in December so this step up in trip looks ideal and he races off the same mark.
Buachaill Alainn (IRE) 25-1 (10-3) Hampered 6th (chair), always behind, tailed off 14th (foinavon), soon pulled up, at Aintree 3m 2f hcp (1) sft in Dec.
Beg To Differ (IRE) 5-1 (11-6) Not fluent, held up in rear, headway approaching 14th, ridden in close 3rd before last, went 2nd flat, stayed on, no impression on winner, 2nd of 8, 8l behind Perfect Candidate (11-7) at Cheltenham 3m 2f hcp (2) hvy in Jan.
Loose Chips 28-1 (10-13) Prominent, led 2nd until 9th, weakening when mistake and unseated rider 17th, at Warwick 3m 5f hcp (1) hvy in Jan.
Bertie Boru (IRE) 25-1 (10-6) Held up in rear, hampered 2nd, struggling when jumped left 13th, pulled up before 3 out, at Chepstow 3m 5f hcp (1) hvy in Jan.
Sands Cove (IRE) 20-1 (10-8) Held up in rear, not fluent 7th, some headway when hampered on bend before 3 out, stayed on from 2 out, went 3rd towards finish, no impression on leading pair, 3rd of 15, 15 1/4l behind The Last Samuri (11-7) at Kempton 3m hcp (2) gs in Dec.
Dancing Shadow (IRE) 7-2fav (11-5) Held up in touch, lost place 8th, soon struggling, rallied before 2 out, ridden and stayed on to take 2nd flat, no impression with winner, 2nd of 9, 8l behind Antony (11-3) at Sandown 2m 4f hcp (3) gs in Dec.
Fond Memory (IRE) 5-1 (11-9) Held up in last pair, headway 10th, went 3rd 15th, stayed on same pace under pressure before 2 out, 3rd of 7, 10l behind Aachen (11-11) at Wincanton 3m 1f hcp (3) sft in Dec.
Elenika (FR) 9-1 (10-12) Mid-division, slow 8th, outpaced 5 out, kept on after 2 out, never on terms, 4th of 9, 18 3/4l behind Johnny Og (10-8) at Ascot 2m 3f hcp (3) sft in Jan.
Arbeo (IRE) 6-5fav (11-12) Chased leader who was clear until 8th, ridden after 12th, 4 lengths down 2 out, closed before last, led flat, stayed on, won at Huntingdon 3m hcp (4) hvy in Jan beating Basford Ben (11-8) by 9l, 6 ran.
