tracked leaders, joined leader 12th, ridden approaching 2 out, kept on same pace approaching last, weakened towards finish
held up towards rear, hit 1st, weakened 3 out
held up towards rear, not fluent 5th, weakened approaching 11th, pulled up before 11th
led and raced keen, headed approaching last, weakened final 100 yards
held up in touch, pushed along and outpaced after 12th, kept on to take 3rd final 100 yards
held up mid-division, weakened approaching 11th,
held up towards rear, reminders approaching 10th, soon weakened, pulled up before 2 out
tracked leader and keen, with leader 7th, went 2nd approaching 2 out, led approaching last, kept on and headed final 100 yards
mid-division, headway 9th, 4th approaching 2 out, challenged last, kept on to lead final 100 yards
held up in rear, hit 4th, weakened from 8th
BELEM RANGER got no further than the first fence in the Fox Hunters' on Thursday but if able to reproduce his earlier form when winning at Musselburgh he should be too classy for his rivals today and gets the vote ahead of Turbo and Brize Norton. The last mentioned has shown improved form in points of late and he has to be respected but seemingly lost his way under rules and looks best watched. George Moscrop's Robin De Sherwood has not been seen under rules for some time but has been running consistently well between the flags of late and has to be considered as does Kinfayre Boy, who is better than he showed at Southwell last time but he does need to improve to trouble the selection. Turbo was useful on his day on the flat and over hurdles and fences but he has not been under rules for over 1000 days now and recent point form suggests that he has lost his way but he cannot be completely ruled out given his old form, although a safer option seems to be Belem Ranger.
Belem Ranger (IRE) 66-1 (12-0) Towards rear, badly hampered and unseated rider 1st, in a race won by Silver Adonis (12-0) at Aintree 2m 5f hts chs (2) gs, 21 ran.
Kinfayre Boy 6-1 (11-5) Mistakes, always in rear, lost touch and pulled up approaching 14th, in a race won by Mad Victor (11-3) at Southwell 3m hts chs (6) gd in Mar, 9 ran.
Allumee 16-1 (11-0) Held up; hdwy 13; wknd app 2 out, 5th of 8, 9l behind Poppy Day (10-7) at Hornby Castle 3m ptp gs.
Bal Des Champs (FR) 5-2 (12-7) Led til hdd 7; outpcd app 3 out, last of 2, 10l behind Indian Print (12-4) at Alnwick 3m ptp hvy.
Brize Norton (IRE) 5-2 (12-7) (tt) ww; rdn to ld last; stayed on up, won at Hutton Rudby 3m ptp in Mar beating Oaklands Bobby (12-0) by 1l, 17 ran.
Lucius Rufo (IRE) 20-1 (11-4) Mid-division, ridden 14th, soon weakened and pulled up before 2 out, in a race won by Smart Thinker (9-11) at Sedgefield 3m 3f hcp chs 0-95 (5) sft in Dec '08, 10 ran.
Ocean Dancer 100-1 (10-10) Always behind, lost touch from 9th, pulled up before 4 out, in a race won by Chrysander (11-2) at Musselburgh 2m 4f clm chs (4) gd in Feb '09, 10 ran.
Pen Gwen (FR) 14-1 (12-0) Led 2-10; rallied to ld flat, won at Duncombe Park 3m ptp in Feb beating Brize Norton (12-7) by 1l, 17 ran.
Robin De Sherwood (FR) 4-5 (11-0) (cp) (tt) ap; led 8-15; outpcd app 2 out, 2nd of 7, 10l behind Itzacliche (11-0) at Overton 3m ptp gf in Mar.
Turbo (IRE) 10-1 (12-0) Prom; lft in ld 11-14; sn wknd, 5th of 10, 25l behind First Fought (12-0) at Charm Park 3m ptp gd.
Pendle Forest (IRE) 10-1 (11-12) Chsd ldrs; went 2nd app last; no ch w wnr, 2nd of 6, 12l behind Indian Print (12-5) at Overton 3m ptp gf in Mar.
