held up, pushed along and headway before 2 out, soon went 2nd, hard ridden and kept on after last, led closing stages, ran on
tracked leader, niggled along and lead 2 out, ridden after last, headed closing stages, lacked pace of winner
led, hard ridden and headed before 2 out, soon weakened, no impact after last
held up in rear, progress and tracked leaders 2 out, ridden on approach to last, kept on at one pace flat
just worse than midfield, fell 3rd
midfield, cajoled along and lost position before 2 out, soon weakened
FOSTER’SISLAND and Barnay won their respective divisions of a handicap at Newcastle last month. The latter made all in the soft ground but Billy Garrity could afford to ease down the former in the closing stages such was his superiority and Micky Hammond’s charge looks capable of defying a hike in the weights on that evidence. Elysian Flame was placed at Exeter on his handicap debut and looks best of the remainder with Itsnotyouitsme dropping down in class and distance.
Elysian Flame 9-2 (10-8) Held up in last pair, mistake 6th, headway chasing leaders after 4 out, went 2nd 3 out, over 2 lengths down last, no extra run-in, lost 2nd post, 3rd of 8, 5 1/4l behind Bear Ghylls (11-10) at Exeter 2m 3f hcp (3) sft in Jan.
Itsnotyouitsme 7-2 (11-4) Held up in touch, tracked leader 3rd, ridden and outpaced before 3 out, kept on one pace from 2 out, 3rd of 12, 19l behind Ahoy Senor (11-4) at Ayr 2m 4f mdn (4) sft in Mar.
Barnay 3-1fav (11-11) Made all, led, pressed 4 out and 3 out, led narrowly 2 out and pulled clear when ridden with eventual 2nd, led narrowly last and held on gamely when hard-ridden run-in, won at Carlisle 2m 1f hcp (5) sft in Feb beating No Quarter Asked (11-5) by 1 3/4l, 9 ran.
Foster'sisland 4-9fav (11-9) Prominent, pressed leader 2nd, led travelling strongly before 2 out, ridden before last where left clear, easily, won at Newcastle 2m hcp (5) sft in Feb beating Galuppi (11-11) by 20l, 11 ran.
Pitempton Power (IRE) 5-1 (11-2) In touch, headway 2 out, ridden and kept on one pace, 4th of 9, 15 1/4l behind Democratic Oath (11-2) at Sedgefield 2m 1f (4) hvy in Feb.
Cellar Vie 12-1 (11-3) Led narrowly and kept to the inside, pressed 3 out, every chance when ridden 2 out, soon headed and weakened quickly, 4th of 8, 16 1/2l behind Theme Tune (11-9) at Carlisle 2m 3f (4) sft in Feb.
