steadied rear, closer on inside before 8th, went 3rd one pace before 2 out
veered badly left then right and unseated rider 1st
held up tracking leaders, went right 6th, fell 8th
chased leaders early, lost place and towards rear at 5th, tailed off when went badly left and mistakes 4 out and next
tracked winner until 4th, chased leading pair, hampered 5th, bumped next, went 2nd again before 2 out, stayed on same pace, no chance with winner
chased leading trio until blundered badly bumped and almost unseated rider 3rd, lost place and in last pair, pushed along in 5th after 3 out, went modest 4th last
led until 5th, led again and went left 4 out, clear before 2 out, very easily
tracked leading pair, tracked winner 4th, led next, went left and headed 4 out, ridden and lost 2nd before 2 out, 3rd and beaten when blundered 2 out, weakened, hit last
Fast Buck has struggled over fences so far but Brave Seasca impressed at Warwick and is due to be raised 12lb from next week so is well treated under his penalty. ONE TRUE KING is also improving and defied a big weight against more-experienced rivals at Sandown two weeks ago. He gets a tentative vote but this is an ultra-competitive affair as Red Rookie was only beaten a neck on his chasing bow at Chepstow and Karl Philippe was second to a subsequent winner at Carlisle. Amarillo Sky beat Thyme White a length-and-a-half at Wincanton but the runner-up is 3lb better off and the Tizzard runner was earlier behind Red Rookie.
Fast Buck (FR) 11-2 (11-1) Always in rear, mistakes throughout, never a factor, last of 3, 8 1/4l behind Fransham (10-11) at Wetherby 1m 7f hcp (3) gs in Nov.
Thyme White (FR) 7-4 (11-8) Held up, ridden 3 out, stayed on strongly after last but never getting to winner, 2nd of 4, 1 1/2l behind Amarillo Sky (11-2) at Wincanton 2m hcp (3) gd in Nov.
Red Rookie 5-1 (11-0) Chased leaders, went 2nd before 2 out, ridden and stayed on run-in, always just held, 2nd of 13, nk behind Witness Protection (11-2) at Chepstow 2m hcp (3) gs in Nov.
The Cathal Don (IRE) 11-1 (11-8) Led until 8th, lost 3rd after 3 out, soon weakened, left 3rd 2 out, 3rd of 5, 27l behind Millers Bank (11-2) at Huntingdon 2m 4f (3) gd in Oct.
Amarillo Sky (IRE) 7-5fav (11-2) Led, ridden before 3 out, extended advantage before 2 out, reduced lead after last, stayed on gamely, always doing enough, won at Wincanton 2m hcp (3) gd in Nov beating Thyme White (11-8) by 1 1/2l, 4 ran.
One True King (IRE) 11-4fav (12-1) Tracked leaders, went 2nd 3 out, challenged last, led run-in, stayed on strongly, won at Sandown 2m hcp (3) gs in Dec beating Darebin (11-2) by 1 3/4l, 9 ran.
Brave Seasca (FR) 4-1 (11-13) Chased leaders early, soon settled in mid-division, headway on inside approaching 6th, went 2nd 8th, led going well before 2 out, over 5 lengths ahead last, eased final 110 yards, won at Warwick 2m hcp (4) sft in Dec beating Tokay Dokey (11-12) by 10l, 11 ran.
Karl Philippe (FR) 11-2 (10-12) Led, bad mistake 11th, not fluent 3 out, pushed along and headed before last, kept on, no extra, 2nd of 11, 12l behind Papa Tango Charly (11-1) at Carlisle 2m 4f hcp (3) sft in Oct.
