in touch, tracked leader 11th, not fluent 4 out, 3rd and ridden after next, weakened from 2 out
tracked leaders, headway 11th, went 2nd after 3 out, led before next, clear last, ridden out
not fluent 1st, soon tracked leaders on outside, led 9th, ridden and headed before 2 out, no extra when lost 2nd approaching last, weakened into 4th flat
pressed leader, lost place 10th, outpaced 4 out, stayed on to take 3rd flat, no impression
led, headed and hit 9th, reminder next, ridden 11th, outpaced in 5th when rider dropped whip approaching 4 out, rallied to take 2nd approaching last, no impression with winner
Nonrunner
Ffos Las winner Royal Chatelier is the obvious one in this having been raised just 5lb. Micheal Nolan claims back that amount again. But we'll take him on with MINELLA RANGER, who was just beaten in a point-to-point on heavy ground at the end of 2011. He gets his favoured going for the first time under Rules today and Tom O'Brien is an interesting jockey booking. Richard Lee's yard is going well and Backstreet Billy finally completed an outing this season over hurdles at Southwell last time. He's potentially well treated if getting his act together but the one-paced Roybuoy returns from a break and Petie McSweetie and Gleannacreim are woefully out of form.
Backstreet Billy (IRE) 11-1 (11-1) Tracked leader, led 5th, headed after 3 out, weakened before 2 out, 6th of 8, 35l behind Marino Prince (11-0) at Southwell 2m hcp hdl 0-105 (4) hvy.
Minella Ranger (IRE) 16-1 (10-13) Held up, left 4th after 8th, weakened approaching 2 out (normall 3 out), 4th of 6, 48l behind Whispering Jack (11-4) at Wincanton 2m 5f nov hcp chs 0-115 (4) gs.
Petie Mcsweetie (IRE) 12-1 (11-7) Behind, reminders and struggling before 8th, tailed off when pulled up before next, in a race won by The Last Bridge (10-1) at Taunton 3m hcp hdl 0-95 (5) hvy in Feb, 14 ran.
Roybuoy 5-1 (11-3) Held up in rear, headway after 10th, chased winner before 3 out, blunderd next, no chance with winner, 2nd of 8, 25l behind Quayside Court (9-7) at Taunton 2m 7f hcp chs 0-95 (5) gd in Nov.
Gleannacreim (IRE) 7-1 (9-7) Held up, headway on outside 3rd, lost place next, behind 5th, passed beaten horses from 2 out, no chance, 6th of 12, 26l behind Key To Milan (11-1) at Wincanton 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-95 (5) gs.
Royal Chatelier (FR) 4-5fav (11-0) Led, ridden and headed before and mistake 2 out, rallied to regain lead last, kept on gamely run-in, won at Ffos Las 3m Conditional Handicap Chase (0-100) (5yo+) (5) hvy beating Winston Churchill (11-9) by 4l, 4 ran.
