held up in mid-division, ridden 11th, soon behind, pulled up before last
held up towards rear, ridden 11th, driven to chase leader 4 out, one pace from 3 out
held up in touch, headway to chase leader 13th, challenged 4 out, ridden before 3 out, mistake 2 out, led approaching last, ran on well
chased leader, ridden and weakened 13th, behind when pulled up before 3 out
led, ridden and headed after 3 out, weakened 2 out
prominent, ridden 12th, soon weakened
held up last, not fluent 8th, headway 11th, challenged 4 out, led on bit approaching 3 out, soon ridden, mistake next, headed approaching last, no extra flat
Tribal King can improve again to beat Roschal, with Whitenzo and Polar Scout expected to play their part. Alan King put up a good training performance to get Tribal King ready to score over the course and distance in December as he had only had him since September. His last appearance on a racetrack was for Henrietta Knight in Jan 2003, but you would not have known it as he jumped his rivals into the ground. Robert Thornton was very impressed and if all goes well here, a tilt at the John Hughes in April has been mooted. First things first though, and it is hoped that he has improved enough to shrug off a 13lb rise against a fair field that includes the lightly-weighted Roschal who hails from last year's winning stable of Philip Hobbs. The seven-year-old was all out to land a novices' handicap chase at Ludlow in December but has more scope than most. Whitenzo is not the force he once was and let his supporters down over further here last time. He has it to do off topweight but hopefully will acquit himself well enough. Polar Scout's yard is in a bit of form and he is consistent enough, but he and the rest may be biting off more than they can chew in the shape of Tribal King.
