mid-division, hit 10th, headway before 12th, bumped next, weakened 15th, tailed off when pulled up before 5 out
held up in rear, headway 17th, soon outpaced, stayed on flat
chased leaders, weakened approaching 5 out, tailed off
mid-division, mistake 10th, not fluent 14th, ridden after next, soon responed, led 5 out, headed before next, soon beaten, not fluent 2 out
always towards rear, pulled up before 4 out
blundered and unseated rider 2nd
chased leaders, hit 11th, challenged 17th, beaten when mistake 4 out, stayed on flat
jumped badly right, led, clear 4th until 14th, hit and headed 16th, pulled up before next
chased leader who was clear 4th until 14th, mistake and led 16th, headed 5 out, one pace
towards rear, hampered 2nd, headway approaching 12th, led before 4 out, soon clear
in rear, not fluent 9th, mistake 11th, soon ridden, tailed off 14th, pulled up before 16th
chased leaders, weakened approaching 16th, pulled up before 5 out
held up in rear, headway 14th, weakened 5 out, tailed off
mid-division, headway 7th, not much room when mistake 13th, weakened after 17th, tailed off
EL BATAL should relish the quicker ground and is selected ahead of Sir Winston and Roseneath. The selection has been well-held on two recent starts but those outings should have put him spot on for fitness. Now tackling quicker ground and with his yard in good form, the feeling is that we will see a much improved run from the gelding. Roseneath won nicely at Huntingdon in January but his next start at Uttoxeter was poor. Sam Jones takes over in the saddle and on a better surface he is likely to fare better. Maori Legend is a strong stayer but he passed over some winnable opportunities over the winter, Sir Winston is consistent but he came unstuck behind Roseneath last time and may now be high enough in the weights, whilst Opus Cafe was a distant second at Plumpton last time but it was a step in the right direction. William Biddick looks a good jockey booking for Caspar Of Tarsus, former point-to-point winner New Mill Moll may do better continuing over fences, whilst Incentivise looks well-handicapped and needs a market check. An open finale, but the nod goes to El Batal.
Maori Legend 10-1 (11-5) Mid-division, bumped and fell 5th, in a race won by Whitewater Dash (11-4) at Kempton 3m hcp chs 0-100 (4) gd, 15 ran.
Roseneath (IRE) 11-2 (10-11) Not always fluent, held up towards rear, well behind after 13th, tailed off when pulled up before 4 out, in a race won by Buffalo Bob (11-1) at Uttoxeter 3m hcp chs 0-115 (4) hvy in Feb, 10 ran.
El Batal (IRE) 16-1 (11-3) Held up, headway 12th, ridden and weakened 14th, tailed off, last of 7, well behind The Gangerman (11-12) at Warwick 3m 2f hcp ch 0-110 (4) sft in Jan.
Sir Winston (IRE) 2-1fav (11-4) Tracked leaders, hit 8th, 4th and outpaced when blundered 2 out, soon no extra, 4th of 13, 17l behind Roseneath (10-13) at Huntingdon 3m 5yo nov hcp (4) sft in Jan.
Opus Cafe (FR) 12-1 (10-4) Tracked leader, hit 5th, led 11th until 13th, weakened and blundered next, left poor 2nd and slightly hampered 2 out, tailed off, 2nd of 5, 34l behind Portrait Royale (9-9) at Plumpton 3m 2f 5yo Am hcp 0-115 (4) hvy.
Caspar of Tarsus (IRE) 11-1 (11-3) Mid-division, headway 10th, not fluent 13th, weakened 4 out, 8th of 15, 37l behind Whitewater Dash (11-4) at Kempton 3m hcp chs 0-100 (4) gd.
Quiet Bob (IRE) 12-1 (11-11) Held up, towards rear, not fluent 4th, headway after 7th, ridden 4 out, went 3rd 2 out, weakened approaching last, 3rd of 15, 11l behind Caspar Of Tarsus (11-6) at Hereford 3m 1f hcp chs 0-90 (5) gs in Feb.
New Mill Moll 25-1 (11-0) In rear, well behind 6th, mistake 10th, pulled up before next, in a race won by Whitewater Dash (11-4) at Kempton 3m hcp chs 0-100 (4) gd, 15 ran.
Fourpointone 8-1 (10-7) Pressed leader, not fluent 4th, weakened before 10th, tailed off, 6th of 9, 34l behind Wizard of Edge (10-4) at Taunton 3m 3f hcp ch 0-110 (4) sft in Jan.
Incentivise (IRE) 9-2 (11-5) Led until 3rd, chased leader until approaching 12th, hit 4 out, weakened after 3 out, 4th of 15, 13l behind Caspar Of Tarsus (11-6) at Hereford 3m 1f hcp chs 0-90 (5) gs in Feb.
Dere Lyn 25-1 (9-11) Always in rear, blundered 10th, tailed off when pulled up 14th, in a race won by Shammy Buskins (10-11) at Plumpton 3m 2f hcp chs 0-110 (4) gf in Sep, 10 ran.
Whatcanisay 16-1 (11-3) Held up towards rear, went modest 5th approaching 4 out, left 4th 3 out, 4th of 9, 45l behind Star Galaxy (10-13) at Chepstow 2m hcp chs 0-95 (5) hvy in Feb.
Billybo 10-1 (11-5) Chased leaders, led 9th, headed after 2 out, weakened from last, 4th of 13, 13l behind Keepholdin (10-3) at Hereford 3m 2f nov hcp hdl 0-95 (5) sft.
Heezagrey (IRE) 25-1 (9-11) In touch, bumped 1st, hampered 5th, led 6th, headed approaching 3 out, weakened 2 out, 6th of 15, 26l behind Carrickmines (11-12) at Ludlow 3m cond hcp hdl 0-105 (4) gs in Feb.
