patiently ridden and behind, not fluent 10th, headway 4 out, ridden in dispute of modest 4th after 3 out, no impression, blundered 2 out, pulled up before last
led until 4th, pecked 10th, weakened after 15th, pulled up before 2 out
chased leaders, lost ground 4th, slow 12th, ridden 15th, modest 4th 4 out, no impression
held up towards rear, not fluent 13th, weakened after 15th, tired when fell last
held up towards rear, not fluent 9th, behind when pulled up before 11th
mid-division, slow and lost place 4th, not fluent 12th, still rear but going ok when fell 15th
chased leaders, went 2nd before 4 out, challenged 3 out, led before 2 out, jumped right last, driven out
held up in touch on inside, went 3rd before 4 out, driven and no impression before last
pressed leader, led 4th, not fluent 4 out, headed before not fluent 2 out, held flat, no extra close home
NonRunner
Commit Or Quit won over track and trip in November and was in the process of running another good race at Warwick last month when falling. Providing that mishap hasn’t left its mark, Charlie Mann’s six-year-old should be therabouts receiving weight all round. Ecossais is on a roll and another still on a decent mark with Ross Turner taking off 5lb with Little Red Lion also chasing a hat-trick. Seemingly So and Another Emotion could also figure and Mortens Leam is a past winner here but we’ll take a chance on SMITHS CROSS, who is 0-6 over fences but was travelling like a winner when coming to grief at Newcastle having finished fifth in a race at Chepstow earlier which couldn’t have worked out any better.
Mortens Leam 9-1 (11-9) Towards rear, dropped to rear 8th, headway 3 out, ridden next, same pace and lost 3rd close home, 4th of 7, 10 1/2l behind Maypole Class (11-12) at Fakenham 2m 5f hcp (3) gs in Dec.
Cash To Ash (IRE) 12-1 (11-11) Led, jumped right 7th, ridden and headed before 4 out, weakened before 2 out, 6th of 12, 25 3/4l behind Hear No Evil (11-7) at Wetherby 3m hcp (4) gs in Oct.
Seemingly So (IRE) 11-4 (11-10) Disputed lead, headed 3rd, pushed along and outpaced before 4 out, ran on one pace from 2 out, 2nd of 6, 6l behind Scoop The Pot (10-12) at Newcastle 2m 7f hcp (4) sft in Dec.
Smiths Cross (IRE) 9-2 (11-9) Held up in rear, fell 7 out, at Newcastle 2m 7f hcp (4) sft in Dec.
Grange Ranger (IRE) 14-1 (11-9) Held up in rear, headway before 7th, pressed leader before 11th, led 14th, headed before 4 out, soon weakened, 5th of 12, 32 1/2l behind Rock On Barney (10-1) at Wetherby 3m hcp (4) sft in Dec.
Little Red Lion (IRE) 10-3fav (11-5) Mid-division, headway turning for home and pressed leader 3 out, led 2 out, headed last, kept on gamely and left in the lead close home, won at Taunton 2m 7f hcp (4) hvy in Dec beating Broadclyst (11-12) by 3/4l, 9 ran.
Another Emotion (FR) 12-1 (11-6) Chased leaders, led after 8th, headed 10th, no impression on winner before 3 out, lost 2nd flat, 3rd of 11, 4 3/4l behind Ouro Branco (11-9) at Wincanton 2m 4f hcp (4) sft in Dec.
Ecossais (FR) 2-1fav (11-12) Held up in touch, close up 14th, almost upsides 4 out, led travelling strongly before 3 out, ridden before 2 out, driven out flat, won at Southwell 3m 2f hcp (5) sft in Dec beating Eaton Miller (10-0) by 2 3/4l, 10 ran.
Commit Or Quit (IRE) 9-2 (11-9) Prominent, with leader when fell 13th, at Warwick 3m hcp (4) sft in Dec.
Haul Us In (IRE) 14-1 (11-12) Prominent, slow 10th and pushed, ridden after 11th, soon beaten, 6th of 8, dist behind Tea Time On Mars (10-13) at Bangor-on-Dee 3m hcp (3) sft in Nov.
