mid-division, headway 8th, ridden and weakened 3 out
always prominent, tracked leader after 6th, hit 8th, led before 3 out, ridden and edged left flat, kept on
chased leaders, reminders 6th, soon lost place, behind when pulled up before 4 out
held up, hit 4 out, headway next, soon ridden and no impression
mid-division, jumped right at 7th, weakened after 4 out
in touch, lost place approaching 3 out, soon weakened, pulled up before last
tracked leader to 6th, outpaced when hit 4 out, behind when pulled up before next
mid-division, weakened 3 out
mid-division, outpaced 3 out, hit next, ridden and kept on flat
mid-division, headway under pressure 3 out, soon ridden and stayed on, never trouble leaders
behind until ridden and kept on from 3 out, never nearer
in touch, ridden 3 out, soon weakened
led, held approaching 3 out, one pace when not fluent last, no extra
in touch on outside, ridden 3 out, stayed on to go 2nd last, no impression
chased leaders, outpaced when hit 3 out, soon weakened
behind, mistake 4 out, ridden next, stayed on well flat, never nearer
always behind
raced keenly in mid-division, headway 4 out, ridden to chase leaders next, weakened last
always behind
mid-division, lost place 4 out, soon weakened
Archduke Ferdinand, a stayer on the flat, may well find this trip on the short side over hurdles and preference is for the consistent First Cry, who gets the vote ahead of Stagecoach Opal. The last mentioned is clearly going the right way now and has to be respected on his handicap debut but Sue Smith's gelding may have a shade too much weight. Bob Mountain is probably better than he showed on his return at Wetherby and could be on a handy mark, while Top Cloud is similarly lightly raced and open to improvement. A market move for Avalon would have to be of interest but marginal preference is for the Nicky Richards-trained First Cry, who has shown a consistent level of form and can be expected to be thereabouts again.
Millennium Hall 25-1 (11-4) Mid-division, headway to chase leaders and 2 lengths down whe fell 3 out in race won by Dhehdaah (11-7) at Cheltenham 2m nov hcp hdl (2) gs in Oct, 15 ran.
Rothbury 9-1 (11-10) Mid-division, headway 8th, led after last, kept on gamely, won at Wetherby 2m 7f cnd nov hcp hdl (4) sft in Oct beating El Andaluz (10-1) by a shd, 12 ran.
First Cry (IRE) 11-4 (10-11) Prominent, led 2 out, soon clear, hung right and headed close home, no extra, 2nd of 13, 1/2l behind Top Cloud (10-9) at Kelso 2m 6f cnd nov hdl (4) gs in Oct.
Edgehill (IRE) 5-2 (11-4) Close up, ridden 7th, weakening when blundered 3 out, 7th of 12, 32l behind Bajan Sunshine (10-12) at Fakenham 2m 4f nov hdl (4) gd in Oct.
Stagecoach Opal 8-11fav (11-0) With leader, keen, led approaching 3rd, headed approaching 5th, led again 3 out, driven out, won at Cartmel 2m 6f nov hdl (4) gs in May beating Panzer (11-4) by 3l, 6 ran.
Archduke Ferdinand (FR) 4-1 (11-7) Keen, held up, headway approaching 3 out, ridden to chase winner next, no impression approaching last, 2nd of 13, 8l behind Welcome To Unos (11-2) at Huntingdon 2m 5f hcp hdl 0-110 (E) gd in Dec.
Ortega (FR) 11-10fav (10-12) Mid-division, ridden and outpaced 5th, stayed on, 4th of 13, 8l behind Dune Raider (11-2) at Worcester 2m mdn hdl (5) gf in May.
Bob Mountain (IRE) Evensfav (11-4) Held up, headway approaching 3 out, outpaced next, no impression approaching last, 4th of 7, 4 1/2l behind Mister Jungle (10-12) at Wetherby 2m 4f nov hdl (4) sft in Oct.
Lord On The Run (IRE) 7-4fav (11-5) Towards rear, ridden and some headway 3 out, weakened from next, 7th of 11, 8l behind Singhalongtasveer (11-1) at Kelso 2m 2f cnd hcp hdl 0-110 (4) gd.
Top Cloud (IRE) 5-2 (10-9) Held up, ridden approaching 3 out, chased winner from next, one pace run-in, 2nd of 14, 17l behind The Whisperer (10-12) at Kelso 2m 6f nh nov hdl (4) gd.
Tell Henry (IRE) 11-4 (11-0) Raced keenly and led, headed 2 out, soon ridden, one pace when not fluent last, 2nd of 11, 7l behind Young Albert (11-0) at Sedgefield 2m 1f nh nov hdl (4) gd in Oct.
The Ring (IRE) 33-1 (10-9) Led to 2nd, chased winner until 3 out, in 3rd and held when pecked 2 out, one pace, 3rd of 11, 27l behind Astarador (11-0) at Wetherby 2m nov hdl (3) sft in Oct.
Avalon 7-4fav (11-8) Held up in mid-division, pushed along after 4 out, brief effort 3 out, weakened after next, 7th of 18, 18l behind Red Scally (11-8) at Carlisle 2m 4f nov hcp hdl 0-105 (4) sft in Oct.
The Last Viking 100-1 (11-0) Held up in touch, headway after 4 out, ridden next, weakened after 2 out, 3rd of 14, 9l behind Double Vodka (11-0) at Aintree 2m nov hdl (4) gd in May.
Hello It's Me 16-1 (10-9) Mid-division, headway 3 out, weakened approaching last, 4th of 19, 12l behind Eleazar (10-12) at Haydock 2m nov hdl (4) gd.
Malko de Beaumont (FR) 15-8fav (11-1) Chased leader until after 6th, niggled along from 10th, weakened 4 out, last when mistake 2 out, tailed off when pulled up at the last in race won by Itsuptoharry (11-9) at Bangor 2m 4f hcp chs 0-115 (4) hvy in May, 5 ran.
Cash On Friday 40-1 (10-12) Held up towards rear, outpaced halfway, 9th of 17, well behind Ellerslie George (10-12) at Newcastle 2m 4f mdn hdl (5) gd.
Nicozetto (FR) 11-1 (11-8) Held up, headway 3 out, challenged going well next, led briefly last, ridden and one pace flat, 2nd of 12, 2 1/2l behind Parkinson (10-6) at Carlisle 3m 1f amt nov hcp hdl (5) hvy in Oct.
Blackcurrant (FR) 16-1 (10-2) Chased leaders, 8th 4 out, weakened after next, 12th of 20, 19l behind Joan's Girl (11-0) at Tipperary 2m nov hcp hdl sft in Apr.
Monashee Grey (IRE) 4-1 (10-12) Led, 2nd, tracked leader, blundered 3 out, soon weakened, 4th of 10, 46l behind Tritonix (10-12) at Bangor 2m 1f 3yo mdn hdl (4) gd.
