led until 6th, chased leader, pecked 9th, led again 11th, mistake last, headed and no extra towards finish
held up, bit closer on inside at 7th, pushed along in 4th before 3 out, not fluent 2 out and lost ground, rallied into 3rd before the last, kept on well run-in, not reach leading duo
chased leader, led 6th until 11th, chased leader, not fluent next, pushed along and lost 2nd turning in, weakened into 4th before the last
held up in last pair, some headway approaching 10th, weakened next, tailed off and pulled up after 2 out
chased leading pair, went 2nd on inside turning in, soon pushed along, 2 lengths down as leader hit last, stayed on gamely to lead towards finish
raced wide, held up, fell 9th
chased leaders in 4th, weakened 4 out, tailed off
last pair, tailed off and pulled up before 3 out
NonRunner
Marracudja is talented but has never been easy to catch right so it’s anybody’s guess how he’ll take to competing in this sphere. Cousin Pascal won the Foxhunters’ at Aintree last April and will be gearing up for another crack at the big hunter chases this spring. Solomon Grey has won five times under Rules and has his ground but is having a first outing since July. Marcle Ridge is a prolific winner between the flags and has won twice under Rules at Cheltenham but we’ll give a tentative vote to STRATAGEM, who has an absence to overcome but is only a six-year-old and could be a useful recruit to the hunter chase ranks.
Cousin Pascal (FR) 1-4fav (11-3) Led to 8; chsd wnr bet last 2; no imp, 2nd of 11, 10l behind Back Bar (11-0) at Charing 3m gs in Dec.
Marracudja (FR) 25-1 (11-8) Always in rear, tailed off, 7th of 8, dist behind Palmers Hill (11-4) at Wetherby 2m 3f hcp (3) gs in Nov.
Marcle Ridge (IRE) Evensfav (11-7) Led to 8 & 11-13; lft in ld nxt; hdd 2 out; rallied to ld last; stayed on wl, won at Barbury Racecourse 3m gs in Dec beating Famous Clermont (11-7) by 1 1/2l, 15 ran.
Stratagem (FR) 4-1 (11-8) Led, pushed along after 5 out, still every chance 4 out, lost lead 3 out, weakened, 3rd of 6, 9 1/2l behind Duc De Beauchene (10-3) at Chepstow 2m 3f hcp (3) gs in Mar.
Wagner (IRE) 7-1 (11-9) (5a) (cp) (tt) led 2-6; wknd 3 out; wl bhnd when pu last, at Larkhill 3m sft in Jan.
Asangy (ITY) 200-1 (11-4) Tended to jump left throughout, towards rear, blundered 8th, ridden and detached 9th, tailed off when pulled up before 14th, at Ludlow 3m (5) gs in Mar.
Dalahast (FR) (10-10) 7th of 11, 31 1/2l behind Sacha Green (11-7) at Le Lion D'angers 2m 6f sft in Jul.
Too Many Diamonds (IRE) 33-1 (11-7) Hdwy 13; wknd 2 out, 7th of 12, 19 1/2l behind Igor (11-7) at Larkhill 3m sft in Dec.
Solomon Grey (FR) 15-2 (11-1) Held up towards rear, headway after 4 out, no extra last, 8th of 16, 26 1/4l behind Francky Du Berlais (10-13) at Market Rasen 2m 5f hcp (1) gd in Jul.
