Junker d'Allier might well bounce back with his sights lowered but conceding 12lb to the promising SPADESTEP will be challenging. Soft ground was no good for Hasten Slowly when running poorly on the Flat last week and she has the form to feature.[Alistair Jones]
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Dual novice winner (at about 2m) who is now on a recovery mission, though was highly tried in a Grade 1 at Christmas and latest remote fourth was in the Listed Sidney Banks at Huntingdon; enters the reckoning despite the double penalty.
Won a handicap at Carlisle in October (2m1f, soft) but was down the field at Ascot on his final jumps run and has since finished last on the Flat (three-time winner in that sphere); even if back on song he has a bit to find at these weights.
Two hurdle wins include a Punchestown handicap in October (2m, good to yielding) and faced a tough task when eighth at Cheltenham later that month; ground would have been too soft when running poorly on the Flat last week; good chance at this level if bringing her best form.
0-5 and comfortably held in a low-grade handicap at Newcastle in early March (2m4f, good); unlikely to be good enough, no matter what effect the cheekpieces have.
No match for the long odds-on favourite in a maiden at Ayr (2m, soft) but finished clear of the rest and was a late withdrawal from a Grade 1 at Aintree; however, jockey bookings would suggest the yard has higher hopes for Spadestep.
Half-brother to Tommy's Oscar and cost �50,000 after winning seven-runner Irish point (yielding ground); perhaps denied by greenness on hurdling debut at Carlisle and the winner has since added two further novices to his tally; looks promising.
