led, ridden and headed well before 2 out, weakening when went badly right 2 out, pulled up before last
never travelling or jumping with any fluency, always in rear, reminders after 5th, struggling from next
tracked leaders, went 2nd before 2 out, driven and 1 length down before last, kept on gamely flat, driven ahead towards finish
mistakes, held up, jumped slowly and dropped to rear 4th, driven along from 4 out, headway after next, chased leading pair 2 out, beaten before last
chased leaders in 4th, ridden after 3 out, weakened before next
chased leader, led well before 2 out, ridden and about 1 length ahead approaching last, headed towards finish
in touch, headway under pressure to chase leaders after 3 out, weakened next
in touch, pushed along 5th, weakened quickly 4 out
Three of these ran in the Fred Winter at the Cheltenham Festival earlier this month and on running that day HELIUM has the beating of both Woolfall Treasure and Higgy's Boy and he gets the vote to confirm that. Nick Gifford's gelding ran a highly creditable race at the festival in finishing an 11 length eighth behind Silk Affair and a reproduction of that form off a 2lb lower mark today should suffice. Woolfall Treasure faired better than Higgy's Boy at Cheltenham but both were well held by the selection on their first starts in handicaps and both need to improve considerably on their form that day. Rory Boy has been running consistently well in handicaps of late and has solid place claims, while Akarshan has disappointed in two starts since winning at Hereford in November. Howard Johnson's Nine Stories has shown gradual improvement over timber and he could be of interest on his handicap debut but, on Cheltenham running, it is Helium that gets the vote.
Helium (FR) 25-1 (10-13) Held up in rear, headway approaching 3 out, not reached leaders, stayed on same pace last, 8th of 22, 11l behind Silk Affair (10-4) at Cheltenham 2m Grade 3 nov hcp hdl (4yo) (1) gs.
Nine Stories (IRE) 13-2 (11-8) Tracked leaders, ridden 2 out to track winner, kept on one pace flat, 2nd of 6, 1 1/4l behind Giorgio Quercus (11-8) at Musselburgh 2m 4yo nov hdl (2) gd in Feb.
Higgy's Boy (IRE) 12-1 (10-12) Not fluent 2nd, always towards rear, 16th of 22, 45l behind Silk Affair (10-4) at Cheltenham 2m Grade 3 nov hcp hdl (4yo) (1) gs.
Woolfall Treasure 16-1 (10-3) Mid-division, not fluent 3rd, headway before next, weakened well before 3 out, mistake 2 out, 13th of 22, 34l behind Silk Affair (10-4) at Cheltenham 2m Grade 3 nov hcp hdl (4yo) (1) gs.
Akarshan (IRE) 13-2 (11-3) Held up behind, fell 6th, in a race won by Loco Grande (10-4) at Bangor 2m 1f 4yo nov hcp hdl (3) gs in Feb, 9 ran.
Rory Boy (USA) 7-2 (11-12) Chased leaders, hit 6th, chased winner before 2 out, challenged and led briefly soon after last, no extra and held final 150 yards, 2nd of 7, 2l behind Dantari (11-4) at Newbury 2m 3f nov hcp hdl 0-120 (3) gd.
Psi (USA) 11-4 (11-11) Held up in rear, headway after 4 out, ridden and weakened next, tailed off, 5th of 7, 50l behind Dantari (11-4) at Newbury 2m 3f nov hcp hdl 0-120 (3) gd.
Amouretta 14-1 (10-10) Held up, headway 5th, weakened 3 out, 6th of 9, well behind Sparkling Montjeu (11-2) at Taunton 2m 1f fll nov hdl (4yo) (4) sft.
