towards rear, headway 6th, ridden to chase leaders approaching 2 out, jumped right, led and jumped right last, headed flat, switched right and rallied, not reached winner
mid-division, headway 4 out, ridden to chase leaders next, weakened approaching last
tracked leaders, ridden to lead after 8th, headed and weakened approaching last
tracked leaders, lost place 5th, weakened 4 out
tracked leaders, ridden and weakened after 4 out
mid-division, weakened 4 out
never a factor
led, weakening when headed soon after 8th
held up rear, headway after 4 out, ridden to chase leaders next, led flat all out
mid-division, ridden 6th, soon weakened
Nonrunner
Nonrunner
Rosita Bay is taken to land the finale at the expense of Devito, Fantastic Arts and Predator. With the soft ground to help, Rosita Bay bounced back to form at Plumpton last time, coming home clear of her field, and hopefully this once useful bumper performer will go on to greater success over hurdles. A small rise should not be a problem, and in the hands of Leighton Aspell, Oliver Sherwood's mare looks the one to beat. Devito is slowly but surely going the right way but cannot be backed with confidence yet, and a bigger danger may be Fantastic Arts who opened his account at Hereford. However, that was on faster ground than this, and it remains to be seen how he will cope. Predator has been chasing but was tailed off over hurdles in a better contest at Newbury last time. This drop in grade will obviously help, but he has topweight. David Pipe and Philip Hobbs are both double-handed, so watch the market is the advice, but we return to Rosita Bay as the answer to a trappy event.
L'oudon (FR) 7-2fav (11-1) Held up in rear, headway on outside approaching 2 out, stayed on under pressure flat, 5th of 12, 8l behind O'Toole (11-4) at Cheltenham 2m cnd hcp hdl 0-135 (3) gd in Oct.
Predator (GER) 8-1 (10-6) Chased leader to 7th, weakened soon after 4 out, tailed off when pulled up at the last in race won by Karanja (11-1) at Newbury 3m hcp hdl 0-140 (2) gs in Nov, 21 ran.
Mister Mustard (IRE) 33-1 (11-7) Held up in touch, lost place 3rd, soon behind and pulled up 2 out in race won by Templer (10-10) at Wincanton 2m hcp hdl 0-120 (3) gs in Nov, 13 ran.
Visibility (FR) 5-1 (11-4) Chased leader, led 5th, ridden and headed approaching 2 out, weakened approaching last, 3rd of 11, 17l behind Bak To Bill (10-4) at Exeter 2m 3f hcp hdl 0-115 (4) hvy in Mar.
Investment Wings (IRE) 200-1 (10-12) In touch until weakened, mistake 5th (no distance recorded), 16th of 17, well behind Nicanor (11-7) at Cheltenham 2m 5f nov hdl Grd 1 (1) gd in Mar.
Hawridge King 11-4 (11-5) Tracked leaders, ridden approaching 3 out, no impression, 4th of 10, 11l behind Backbord (10-12) at Ludlow 2m 5f nov hdl (4) gd in Nov.
Devito (FR) 9-1 (10-5) Held up, headway from 3 out, chased winner approaching 2 out, stayed on, 2nd of 16, 6l behind Ellway Prospect (11-0) at Taunton 2m 3f hcp hdl 0-120 (3) gd in Nov.
Fantastic Arts (FR) 12-1 (11-0) Made all, ridden clear approaching last, won at Hereford 2m 1f mdn hdl (4) gf in Nov beating Cottingham (11-0) by 4l, 15 ran.
Rosita Bay 11-2 (10-5) Raced wide, close up, challenged going well 3 out, led before next, pushed clear, readily, won at Plumpton 2m 5f nh nov hdl (4) gs in Nov beating Supreme Huntress (10-12) by 6l, 12 ran.
Theatre Groom (USA) 16-1 (11-7) Held up in mid-division, ridden, headway to chase leader approaching 3 out, ridden approaching 2 out, one pace, 4th of 8, 23l behind Portland Bill (11-12) at Wincanton 2m 6f hcp hdl 0-105 (4) gd in Nov.
Loita Hills (IRE) 11-4fav (11-5) Led until 2nd, with leader until weakened quickly 7th, soon tailed off, last of 6, well behind Papillon de Iena (11-5) at Exeter 2m 1f hcp chs 0-110 (4) gf in May.
Fordingbridge (USA) 13-2 (10-10) Chased leaders, ridden 4 out, weakened approaching next, tailed off, 8th of 12, well behind Inishturk (10-6) at Kempton 3m hcp hdl 0-120 (3) gs in Nov.
