Verdict

Palawi beat Nine Stories, Alsahil and Rumble Of Thunder over C&D at the start of last month but it would be no surprise if one of those rivals reversed that form today on better terms. Ubi Ace has won at Wetherby and Sandown this season and was far from disgraced when third to Celestial Halo at Newbury off his new mark, while Dontpaytheferryman is in pursuit of a C&D hat-trick under promising claimer Kyle James. Shadows Lengthen and Zafranagar have also been in good form lately, while Stormy Weather ground out a victory at Newcastle last month and Cry Of Freedom is potentially well treated on his handicap debut. But we'll stick with INGLEBY SPIRIT, who slaughtered previous winner Absinthe by 16 lengths here 17 days ago and is clearly on an upward curve. Big fields didn't faze him on the Flat and Richard Fahey's five-year-old is worth following until beaten.

Formwatch

Ubi Ace 15-2 (10-5) Mid-division, headway to chase leaders 4 out, stayed on to 3rd before last, no chance with leading duo, 3rd of 11, 5l behind Celestial Halo (11-12) at Newbury 2m hcp hdl (2) sft in Dec.

Palawi (IRE) 7-1 (10-8) Raced keenly, led after 1st, headed narrowly approaching 3 out, regained lead next, ridden and stayed on well flat, won at Musselburgh 2m hcp hdl (2) gd in Jan beating Nine Stories (10-3) by 1 1/4l, 11 ran.

Rumble of Thunder (IRE) 7-1 (10-13) Raced keenly, held up mid-division, headway 3 out, effort and every chance when blundered last, not recover, 6th of 11, 7l behind Palawi (10-8) at Musselburgh 2m hcp hdl (2) gd in Jan.

Divers (FR) 11-1 (10-4) Mid-division, mistake 10th, rider lost iron and unseated rider after next, in a race won by Quantitativeeasing (10-7) at Cheltenham 2m 5f Grade 3 hcp chs (4yo+) (1) gd in Dec, 16 ran.

Ingleby Spirit 15-8 (11-11) Tracked leaders, went 2nd before 3 out, switched right before next, led last, kept on strongly, won at Musselburgh 2m nh nov hdl (4) gd in Jan beating Absinthe (11-11) by 16l, 10 ran.

Nine Stories (IRE) 33-1 (10-3) Tracked leaders on inside, effort 2 out, ridden and stayed on well flat, went 2nd near finish, not reached winner, 2nd of 11, 1 1/4l behind Palawi (10-8) at Musselburgh 2m hcp hdl (2) gd in Jan.

Alsahil (USA) 11-1 (9-9) Tracked leader, led narrowly before 3 out, headed next, every chance last, ridden and kept on flat, held when lost 2nd near finish, 3rd of 11, 1 1/2l behind Palawi (10-8) at Musselburgh 2m hcp hdl (2) gd in Jan.

Shadows Lengthen 8-1 (11-7) Held up behind, headway on outside 3 out, chased leading pair next, hit last, ridden and kept on flat, no impression, 3rd of 12, 9l behind Allow Me (11-1) at Catterick 2m 3f hcp hdl 0-135 (3) gs in Jan.

Dontpaytheferryman (USA) 4-1 (11-5) Made all, pushed along before 3 out, kept on well, won at Musselburgh 2m hcp hdl 0-130 (3) gd in Jan beating Knight In Purple (11-7) by 3 1/2l, 8 ran.

Koup De Kanon (FR) 16-1 (10-7) Tracked leaders, effort after 2 out, led approaching last, ridden and headed flat, no extra and dropped to 5th final 50 yards, 5th of 14, 6l behind Module (10-11) at Cheltenham 2m 1f hcp hdl (2) gs in Jan.

Cry of Freedom (USA) 4-1 (11-6) Tracked leading pair, hit 2nd and next, went 2nd when balooned and lost place 4th, rallied after 3 out, chased winner and hit 2 out, staying on same pace under pressure and looked held when went right and hit last, weakened flat, 2nd of 10, 4 1/2l behind Ile De Re (11-4) at Huntingdon 2m nh nov hdl (4) sft in Jan.

Zafranagar (IRE) 11-1 (9-11) Held up, headway 3rd, went 2nd 2 out, stayed on under pressure, no impression, 2nd of 8, 2 1/2l behind Cotillion (10-5) at Chepstow 2m hcp hdl (2) hvy in Jan.

Stormy Weather (FR) 7-4fav (11-12) Held up in last pair in touch, headway on outside after 5 out, went 2nd next, hung left from 3 out, challenged next, soon ridden, stayed on under pressure to lead final 75 yards, all out, won at Newcastle 2m hcp hdl 0-115 (4) sft in Jan beating Diamond D'amour (11-5) by 2l, 6 ran.