tracked leaders, keen early, hard ridden to challenge after 3 out, every chance after next, no extra close home
held up in rear, headway approaching 4th, weakened before 3 out
held up in rear, pushed along halfway, headway 3 out, chasing leaders when mistake 2 out, not fluent last, stayed on strongly, never reached winner
mid-division, lost place 4th, soon pushed along, weakened before 3 out
held up in touch, slow 6th, lost place after 4 out, rallied approaching last, never able to challenge
raced keenly tracking leaders, lost place after 4 out, soon beaten
with leader, led approaching 3 out, strongly challenged next, kept on under pressure
led ridden and headed approaching 3 out, soon weakened, mistake next
Paul Webber had a couple of massive-priced seconds at Aintree and can gain compensation of sorts with CITRUS MARK. A lightly-raced type, he was making his handicap debut when beating Bel Harbour at Warwick last month and a 4lb rise in the weights is by no means harsh. Just Beware has had no less than 83 career starts and won three times over timber, the latest over two miles here in November. He's now on a 9lb higher mark and probably needs some respite. Sovereign Spirit hasn't won for over a year and followed a decent effort at Exeter last month with a poor run at Towcester while the five-times Flat winner Drawback has shown very little in seven starts over hurdles.
Just Beware 13-2 (11-7) Close up, ridden 6th, chased winner 2 out, driven to challenge and every chance when hung left flat, 2nd of 7, 1/2l behind Little Roxy (10-0) at Plumpton 2m hcp hdl 0-90 (5) gs in Mar.
December 150-1 (10-10) Held up in mid-division, mistake 2nd, no chance from 6th, 13th of 15, well behind Falcon Island (10-13) at Stratford 2m nh nov hdl (4) gd.
Citrus Mark 8-1 (11-0) Held up in rear, headway 3 out, led next, driven out, won at Warwick 2m hcp hdl 0-100 (4) gd in Mar beating Bell Harbour (11-12) by 2l, 7 ran.
Drawback (IRE) 16-1 (11-2) Towards rear, reminders 5th, headway to 4th before 2 out, stayed on same pace and no impression, 4th of 8, 25l behind Speedy Directa (10-2) at Hereford 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-95 (5) gs in Mar.
Sovereign Spirit (IRE) 6-1 (11-0) Held up towards rear and keen, headway 4th, led before 6th, headed before 2 out, weakened soon after, 4th of 9, 24l behind Gouranga (10-8) at Towcester 2m 3f cnd hcp hdl 0-95 (5) gs in Mar.
Cloonavery (IRE) 10-1 (9-11) Towards rear, outpaced 4 out, weakened next, tailed off, 11th of 14, well behind Sail And Return (11-5) at Stratford 2m 3f cnd hcp hdl 0-95 (5) gd in Mar.
Airedale Lad (IRE) 11-1 (9-7) Tracked leader, ridden 3 out, kept on, one pace from 2 out, 3rd of 7, 20l behind Little Roxy (10-0) at Plumpton 2m hcp hdl 0-90 (5) gs in Mar.
Bridge of Fermoy (IRE) 40-1 (9-12) Mid-division, headway 5 out, soon weakened, behind when pulled up 2 out, in a race won by Molly Round (10-7) at Towcester 2m 3f am hcp hdl 0-90 (5) sft in Jan, 14 ran.
