keen, jumped right, made all, ridden clear approaching last, eased towards finish
tracked winner, hampered by winner jumping right at 2nd and unseated rider
in rear, ridden and headway to 3rd 3out, effort when hampered by loose horse approaching bend before last, kept on one pace
always in rear, weakened 3 out
in touch, mistake 2nd, chased winner 6th, challenged 2 out, outpaced by winner before last
tracked leaders, left 2nd at 2nd, when rider became unbalanced and nearly unseated, chased winner until 6th, soon ridden and weakened
Alhaque and MOONSTREAKER are the obvious two here and the last-named is preferred, although a bold run from Tribal Rule would come as no real surprise. Adam Pogson knows this gelding well, having ridden him in every start so far. He was outclassed in an Aintree Grade One when last seen but his Market Rasen success reads as solid form and with the ground in his favour he should run a big race. The other penalised runner in the line-up is Alhaque who won last time out at Ascot. That performance was full of promise but the second is a bit of a reluctant hero and so the form might not be best taken literally. However to be fair his efforts behind Advisor and Open Day read fairly well and he is the sort of horse to continue improving now getting his ideal ground conditions. Chalice Welcome has had a good winter on the all-weather and is not to be ignored now returning to hurdling, Renege The Joker looks modest at best, whilst Wicklewood tries to win a race without any type of headgear for a change. Of more interest is Tribal Rule who was a fair fifth on his hurdling debut at Uttoxeter last month. He was not really fancied to achieve too much on that occasion but he shaped with promise and is not ignored here receiving weight off the top two. Moonstreaker is the horse we fancy to get back to winning ways.
Moonstreaker 80-1 (11-4) Led and not fluent 1st, headed 2nd, tracked leader, weakened approaching 3 out, last of 9, 42l behind General Miller (11-4) at Aintree 2m nov hdl G2 (1) gd in Apr.
Chalice Welcome 7-1 (11-3) Always in rear, 7th of 9, well behind Conquisto (11-3) at Fakenham 2m 4yo mdn stks (4) gd in Mar.
Renege The Joker 66-1 (10-7) Raced keenly, mid-division, lost place after 5th, behind from 3 out, tailed off, 7th of 10, well behind What's Up Doc (10-12) at Fakenham 2m sell hdl (5) gf.
Tribal Rule 15-2 (10-9) Tracked leaders and keen, not fluent 3 out, ridden approaching last, kept on, 5th of 12, 13l behind Master Fong (10-9) at Uttoxeter 2m mdn hdl (5) gf in Apr.
Wicklewood 66-1 (10-1) Keen early, held up behind, headway in to mid-division 5th, chased leaders 3 out, stayed on under pressure from next, took moderate 3rd post, 3rd of 10, 14l behind What's Up Doc (10-12) at Fakenham 2m sell hdl (5) gf.
Souchang (IRE) 66-1 (10-5) Held up in touch, lost touch before 4 out, tailed off, last of 7, well behind Brandy Butter (10-4) at Newton Abbot 2m 1f sell hdl (5) gd in Apr.
Alhaque (USA) 14-1 (10-9) Held up in rear, good headway before 2 out, challenged 2 out, led before last, kept on well flat, won at Ascot 2m 4yo nov hcp hdl (2) gd in Apr beating Souter Point (10-5) by 1 1/4l, 11 ran.
