not fluent, always in rear, blundered 10th and soon struggling, tailed off
chased winner, challenged and every chance 4 out, pushed along and hit next, beaten soon after
tracked leading pair, went 2nd going well enough 3 out, soon ridden, no chance with winner from next
jumped well, made all, in command from 2 out, eased near finish
Another small field here, and good recent form is in abundance but we tip Tim Vaughn's APOCALOZZO to take victory here ahead of Vial De Kerdec. The selection carries an extra 7lb here after a superb win at Southwell last week. He won back-to-back handicaps around this time last year and has a good chance of repeating that trick. Vial De Kerdec was a course and distance winner last time out. He had taken a long time to recover from a bad fall on his British debut but things have finally clicked and he looks the type to win again during the coming months and were it not for the better form of the selection we would have tipped him to be ahead at the post. It's difficult to choose from the rest as none show form anything like the earlier mentioned, but The Hardy Boy can prove a threat if he can repeat his performance when last running over course and distance. He was a winner here back in December of last year, but he will need to improve on recent form if he is to worry the selection Apocalozzo.
Silver Serg 16-1 (11-9) Jumped right and reminders 4th, soon well off the pace towards rear, ridden and struggling 7th, tailed off, 9th of 11, well behind One of The Boys (10-4) at Plumpton 2m 1f 5yo nov hcp (4) gd.
The Hardy Boy 14-1 (11-10) Chased leaders, struggling when blundered 13th, soon weakened, pulled up before last, in a race won by Wednesday Country (10-8) at Kempton 3m hcp chs 0-100 (4) gd in Feb, 10 ran.
Misbehaviour 20-1 (11-11) Held up, headway 5th, mistake 3 out, hampered on bend after 3 out, lost place, 10th of 15, 26l behind Ruby Crown (10-11) at Towcester 2m hcp hdl 0-105 (4) gd.
Vial De Kerdec (FR) 12-1 (10-8) Tracked leader, led 3rd, made rest, ridden and in command between last two, stayed on well, won at Plumpton 2m 4f hcp chs 0-95 (5) gd beating Kinkeel (10-3) by 2 3/4l, 9 ran.
Apocalozzo (IRE) 11-2 (10-8) Always prominent, led 8th, clear approaching 3 out, stayed on well, won at Southwell 2m 4f hcp chs 0-100 (4) gd beating Lawaaheb (11-12) by 7l, 14 ran.
