held up, headway 6f out, ridden 3f out, led over 1f out, weakened near finish (hand timed)
held up, brief effort over 5f out
chased leader and keen, led over 3f out, headed over 1f out, one pace
tracked leaders, ridden and outpaced over 4f out, rallied well final furlong, not reach winner
led, quickened up 7f out, ridden and headed over 3f out, weakened final furlong
Ronsard has been running well without success recently but can land himself back in the winners enclosure at the expense of Hunting Lodge and Dansilver. The selections last win came in an amateurs riders race at Bath on fast ground and he has since run with credit.The soft ground is a question mark but he ran well in it at Nottingham when third of twelve last time out so has to be very much respected here. Hunting Lodge is a jump horse that has not been seen for some time. He has some form from a season or so ago that could give him a chance but this looks like a jumps pipe opener for him so is best left alone. Dansilver is another jumper coming from a lay off. His stable like a tilt at the ring so he is to watched in the market but for the winner we return Ronsard.
Ronsard (IRE) 10-1 (10-5) Held up, ridden and headway over 2f out, stayed on inside final furlong, 3rd of 12, 4l behind Winged d'Argent (11-5) at Nottingham 1m 6f hcap (4) sft.
Hunting Lodge (IRE) 33-1 (8-7) Held up, ridden and lost touch 5f out, tailed off final 3f, last of 12, well behind Prins Willem (9-4) at Kempton 2m hcp 0-90 (3) pol in Jul '06.
Conny Nobel (IRE) 20-1 (8-3) Tracked leaders to halfway, weakened from 4f out, 11th of 13, 21l behind Duty Free (9-7) at Kempton 1m 4f 3yo hcp (6) pol.
Dansilver 11-1 (7-12) Chased leaders, ridden over 3f out, soon weakened, 7th of 8, 26l behind Chookie Hamilton (8-9) at W'hampton 1m 1f 2yo clm (6) pol in Nov.
By The River 10-1 (8-9) In touch, effort 2f out, no extra over 1f out, stayed on same pace, 5th of 12, 3l behind Converti (8-9) at Windsor 1m 4f 3yo & 4yo sll (5) gf.
Clare Park 40-1 (8-1) Slowly away, behind, 11th of 12, well behind Diamond Key (8-8) at Warwick 1m 3f 3yo sll (6) sft.
Mickey Pearce (IRE) 12-1 (9-2) Tracked leader, ridden over 5f out, weakened over 3f out, 9th of 12, 23l behind Ionian Spring (8-12) at Southwell 1m 4f clm (6) fbs in Feb.