chased leaders, slow 4th, under pressure 6 out, weakening when blundered 4 out, pulled up before next
led until 4 out, rallied next, kept on same pace approaching last
held up, headway into 2nd approaching halfway, led 4 out, stayed on well
held up towards rear, headway to chase leaders halfway, went 3rd 4 out, weakened 2 out, remote 3rd
tracked leader, weakened 6 out, tailed off when pulled up before 4 out
held up, blundered 5th, mistake 13th, under pressure next, weakening when pulled up before 3 out
Pretty Miss Mahler returned form a lay-off to land last year’s renewal with the 2017 winner Sheneededtherun well beaten in fourth. The latter arrives in fine form this time and bids for a hat-trick raised 5lb after scoring at Southwell but NO NO JULIET won at the same track last time when beating a previous winner with the re-opposing Ballybough Nora and Lamanver Odyssey both well beaten. Oliver Sherwood’s mare is fancied to make another bold bid on that form and gets the nod. Black Tulip posted a better effort at Fakenham having slipped down the weights and is not out of this if the cheekpieces bring further improvement.
Black Tulip 6-4fav (11-4) Led until 12th, rallied to lead again approaching 4 out, headed before next, soon outpaced, weakened closing stages, 3rd of 4, 4 1/4l behind Chequered View (11-0) at Fakenham 3m hcp (4) gd in Nov.
Lamanver Odyssey 85-40 (11-7) Behind and jumped slow, outpaced from 4 out, plugged on from after 3 out, never dangerous, 4th of 6, 19 1/2l behind No No Juliet (10-13) at Southwell 3m hcp (4) sft in Dec.
Sheneededtherun (IRE) 6-1 (11-10) Chased leaders, outpaced 4 out, rallied well into 2nd next, led before 2 out, soon clear, stayed on strongly, won at Southwell 3m hcp (4) sft in Nov beating Heavenly Promise (11-3) by 2l, 5 ran.
No No Juliet (IRE) 9-1 (10-13) Held up in touch, went 2nd after 4 out, led after next, kept on well, won at Southwell 3m hcp (4) sft in Dec beating Loveherandleaveher (11-10) by 8l, 6 ran.
Ballybough Nora (IRE) 8-1 (11-4) Soon in touch, went 2nd from 5 out until after 4 out, one pace in 3rd place and no impression, 3rd of 6, 9 1/2l behind No No Juliet (10-13) at Southwell 3m hcp (4) sft in Dec.
Pretty Miss Mahler (IRE) 4-1 (11-4) Held up, headway 4 out, chased winner 2 out, every chance towards finish, carried slightly right, held close home, 2nd of 6, 3/4l behind Nortonthorpelegend (11-5) at Cartmel 3m 1f hcp (4) gs in Aug.
