held up, headway 4 out, chased leaders next, every chance when not fluent last, stayed on under pressure to lead closing stages
held up in rear when blundered and unseated rider 5th
held up in rear, headway 4 out, chased leaders after 2 out, kept on well, never a threat
held up towards rear, headway to chase 3 out, weakened after next
prominent, effort after 3 out, weakened before last
chased leaders, mostly jumped right, led after 3rd, headed after 3 out, soon rallied, weakened 2 out
always behind, beaten 4 out, tailed off
prominent, led after 3 out, strongly challenged and mistake last, headed towards finish, kept on
led until after 3rd, lost place after next, behind 4 out, tailed off
NonRunner
Gannicus went close at Plumpton last month but is upped in class while Mauricio has been beaten in both subsequent starts since winning at Uttoxeter, though has a conditional’s allowance in his favour today. MINELLA FIVEO (NAP) was beaten six lengths when runner-up at Carlisle a week ago but now looks set for a return to winning ways having slipped down the weights. Sue Smith’s charge gets the vote though Lord Fendale has been thereabouts of late and could also figure. Course regular Theredballoon raced just the once last year but went close over track and trip.
Mauricio (IRE) 5-2fav (11-7) Mid-division, lost place 3 out, switched right after 2 out, plugged on final 100 yards, 5th of 12, 6 1/2l behind Aldrin (11-5) at Worcester 2m hcp (4) gd in Sep.
Stonecoldsoba 20-1 (11-4) Mid-division, driven to chase leaders after 3 out, went 4th between last 2, kept on same pace, never threatened leaders, 4th of 12, 11 1/4l behind Snapdragon Fire (11-13) at Huntingdon 2m hcp (4) gd in Oct.
Box Office (FR) 8-1 (11-1) Always behind, never involved, 5th of 6, 22 1/4l behind Da Baba Elephant (11-2) at Sedgefield 2m 5f hcp (4) gd in Sep.
Lazarus (IRE) 22-1 (10-12) Tracked leaders, ridden when sprawled on landing and unseated rider 2 out, at Southwell 2m (4) gd in Oct.
Gannicus 25-1 (11-11) Chased leaders, ridden after 3 out, went 2nd at the last, driven and kept on run-in, not reach winner, 2nd of 12, 3/4l behind Hermosa Vaquera (11-10) at Plumpton 2m hcp (5) gd in Sep.
Minella Fiveo (IRE) 12-1 (11-2) Tracked leaders, headway before last, ridden and stayed on into 2nd flat, no chance with winner, 2nd of 12, 6l behind Zabeel Star (10-5) at Carlisle 2m 1f hcp (4) gs in Oct.
Theredballoon 12-1 (11-1) Mid-division on outside, closed 3rd, led after 3 out, pressed from 2 out, headed flat, held after, kept on, 2nd of 11, 1/2l behind Stepover (11-0) at Southwell 2m hcp (4) gd in Apr.
Lord Fendale (IRE) 5-1 (11-6) Chased leaders, went 2nd after 2 out (normal 3 out) mistake last (normal 2 out), dropped to 3rd on extended run-in, 3rd of 16, 2l behind Scorpion Star (10-5) at Newton Abbot 2m 2f hcp (5) gd in Oct.
Monzino (USA) 150-1 (10-0) Always in rear, reminders 6th, pulled up before 8th, at Southwell 3m hcp (4) gd in Oct.
Fire Ahead (IRE) 4-1 (11-11) Twrds rr of mid-div, 8th by 5th, last frm 8th & to when pu downhill aftr 5out, at Templenacarriga 3m mdn hvy in Dec.