with leader and keen, left in lead 8th, headed 10th, with leader, looking held in 2nd when left in lead 2 out, ridden after last, stayed on well
led, jumped right and blundered 8th, headed and lost place, pulled up before next
held up in touch, with leader before 9th, led 10th, going well when blundered and unseated rider 2 out
in rear but in touch, left 2nd 2 out, ridden and chance before last, kept on same pace
tracked leaders in 3rd and keen, pushed along and outpaced before 3 out
Nonrunner
Bhaltair is 2lb out of the handicap but that shouldn't be a problem for the progressive Haydock winner as his rider can claim his 3lb allowance. Donald McCain also runs Eighteen Carat, a slightly better hurdler but beaten a distance on his chasing bow at Cartmel. The latter had been beaten 14 lengths by Cloudy Too over timber here in March but Sue Smith's charge has unshipped Shane Byrne in both starts over fences though he was unfortunate at Wetherby last time when impeded. Going Wrong missed two years of action with a broken pelvis but did well on his comeback at Carlisle and will have come on enormously for the outing. FLINTY BAY was very progressive over timber and was in touch when unseating his rider on his chasing debut at Carlisle last month. He went to Aintree a fortnight later and ran very well behind the promising pair Edgardo Sol and The Cockney Mackem and this should be within his capabilities. Quite The Man had beaten The Cockney Mackem at Perth in September and a line through the runner-up gives him the edge here but he ran poorly at Hexham subsequently and needs to bounce back.
Going Wrong 12-1 (11-2) Tracked leaders, mistake 1st, challenged 5 out, ridden 3 out, weakened before and hit last, 4th of 11, 16l behind Frascati Park (11-2) at Carlisle 2m beg chs (4) sft in Oct.
Cloudy Too (IRE) 7-2 (10-13) Held up in towards rear, jumped right and bumped 12th, unseated rider soon after, in a race won by Helpston (11-4) at Wetherby 3m 1f nov chs (3) gd in Oct, 9 ran.
Flinty Bay (IRE) 7-2 (10-10) Led, blundered and headed 5 out, ridden and every chance between last 2, kept on same pace, no impression with leading pair flat, 3rd of 6, 6l behind Edgardo Sol (10-7) at Aintree 2m Novice Handicap Chase (0-135) (4yo+) (3) gd in Oct.
Quite The Man (IRE) 11-10fav (11-10) Held up, pushed along after 4 out, soon ridden and no impression, 4th of 5, 18l behind L'Eldorado (11-3) at Hexham 2m nov chs (4) gd in Oct.
Bhaltair (IRE) 7-1 (11-1) Mid-division, took keen hold, headway 6th, went 2nd 9th, challenged 3 out, led next, hard pressed final 100 yards, all out, won at Haydock 2m nov hcp chs 0-115 (4) gd in Oct beating Up To The Mark (11-8) by hd, 8 ran.
Eighteen Carat (IRE) 16-1 (11-4) Led to 4 out, weakened before 2 out, 4th of 8, well behind Time For Spring (11-4) at Carlisle 2m 4f nov chs (4) gd in Oct.
