keen in rear, ridden and lost touch before 2 out, weakened
prominent, pressed leader 3 out, led briefly before 2 out, soon headed and ridden along, weakening when not fluent last, no extra flat
mid-division, going well in behind leaders after 3 out, jumped well to lead 2 out, kept on well after last
keen, led, ridden and headed before 2 out, soon no extra
mid-division on outer, pushed along after 3 out, soon outpaced, weakened from 2 out
held up towards rear, shaken up before 2 out, went third approaching last, not pace to challenge
prominent, dropped to rear after 6, not fluent 3 out, soon beaten, pulled up before next
towards rear of mid-division, prominent after 3 out, shaken up and went second after 2 out, ran on flat, no match for winner
Feel The Pinch has a good strike-rate over hurdles but will probably be back over fences in the near future. Daire Davis’ claim may help Byzantine Empire but former stablemate Elham Valley only won a seller at Stratford last month. Ithaka, Polyphonic and SERGEANT WILSON all lack a recent run and the latter can take a fierce hold but his yard is in terrific form and the gelding didn’t handle soft going when pulled up at Sandown on his final start last season.
Byzantine Empire 10-3fav (10-2) Slowly into stride, held up in rear, switched right over 2f out, some headway over 1f out, no impression, 8th of 11, 5l behind Starfighter (9-10) at Wolverhampton 1m 4f hcp (6) pol in Sep.
Elham Valley (FR) 7-2 (12-0) Mid-division, headway going well in 2nd home turn, soon led, clear last, comfortably, won at Stratford 2m 3f hcp (5) gd in Sep beating Guguss Collonges (10-2) by 11l, 8 ran.
Feel The Pinch 10-1 (11-2) Held up towards rear, closed 2nd, not fluent 5th, 3rd after 3 out, weakened from final bend, 6th of 12, 13 1/4l behind Luttrell Lad (11-12) at Cartmel 2m 1f hcp (3) hvy in Jul.
Sergeant Wilson (IRE) 10-1 (10-12) Chasing leaders when not much room and awkward 1st, soon lost place and towards rear, never involved after, tailed off and pulled up before the last, at Sandown 2m hcp (2) sft in Apr.
Socialist Agenda 5-2fav (9-7) Held up in mid-division, ridden out wide 3f out, headway and forced wide home turn, weakened soon after, 6th of 12, 11 3/4l behind Tradesman (9-0) at Chelmsford City 1m 6f hcp (6) pol in Aug.
Polyphonic (IRE) 8-1 (11-0) Tracked leaders, bad mistake and blundered 3 out, soon pulled up, at Newton Abbot 2m 2f hcp (4) gs in May.
Ithaka (IRE) 2-1jfav (12-0) Not always fluent, held up in rear, ridden in 5th before 3 out, no impression, well behind when mistake 2 out, 5th of 6, 23 1/2l behind My Rockstar (10-2) at Wincanton 2m 4f hcp (5) gd in Apr.
Stonific (IRE) 25-1 (10-7) Held up towards rear, closed on outside 3 out, ridden before 2 out, soon no impression, 7th of 11, 9 1/4l behind Liverpool Knight (11-5) at Market Rasen 2m 1f hcp (2) gd in Sep.
