led, ridden after 3 out, headed next, kept on flat
in touch, headway 3 out, led next, ridden and headed last, kept on
behind, outpaced 3 out, never dangerous
early reminders, always behind
held up, outpaced 3 out, never dangerous
tracked leaders, ridden 2 out, no impression approaching last
chased leader, lost place approaching 3 out, soon weakened, tailed off
in touch, ridden 2 out, kept on same pace approaching last
always behind
tracked leaders, ridden and outpaced after 3 out, no impression approaching next, soon weakened
mid-division, ridden to chase leaders after 3 out, no impression when blundered next, soon eased, tailed off
held up mid-division, steady headway 3 out, led last, ridden and stayed on well flat
behind, mistake and reminders 7th, soon struggling, tailed off 3 out
mid-division, outpaced 4 out, never on terms
mid-division, ridden 2 out, never on terms
mid-division on outside, headway 3 out, ridden and outpaced approaching next, no impression
refused to race
David Pipe saddles three runners with claims in this big field handicap hurdle in topweight Lough Derg, David Johnson's Ashkazar and Cesarewitch runner up Mamlook but QOZAK has an obvious chance following his facile success at Taunton on Thursday and is hard to oppose. The selection had a wind operation following his final start of last season when a creditable fourth behind Culcabock in the John Smith's Handicap Hurdle at Aintree's Grand National meeting and that seems to have brought the necessary improvement in the six-year-old who won with any amount in hand at Taunton and he can defy the penalty for that success before going on to better things. Emma Lavelle's Pause And Clause reverts to hurdles having disappointed on his chasing debut at Leicester last month but looks too high in the weights, while Frontier Dancer has yet to prove that he stays this far and is not certain to do so. Nicky Henderson saddles two runners in Tasheba and Stravinsky Dance with the latter certainly looking the pick of the two. The French import makes his debut for Henderson today having shown a decent level of form in his native country a couple of seasons ago and he has to be considered, especially with the yard in such good heart at present. Andrew Turnell's Micheal Flips won well at Kempton last week and he has to be respected but a 10lb rise for that success makes this more difficult as does the presence of Qozak, who is taken to follow up Thursday's success.
Lough Derg (FR) 50-1 (11-7) Led until fell 4th, in a race won by Big Buck's (11-7) at Newbury 3m hdl G1 (1) hvy in Dec, 8 ran.
Tasheba 13-2 (11-8) Mid-division, weakened 3 out, tailed off when pulled up before 2 out, in a race won by Micheal Flips (10-11) at Kempton 2m 5f hcp hdl (2) sft, 13 ran.
Micheal Flips (IRE) 9-1 (10-11) Raced on inside, smooth headway from 3 out, led on bit well before 2 out, driven clear after 2 out, kept on strongly, won at Kempton 2m 5f hcp hdl (2) sft beating Duc De Regniere (11-5) by 8l, 13 ran.
Ashkazar (FR) 8-1 (11-9) Raced wide, held up in rear, pushed along 4 out, soon struggling, tailed off after 3 out, last of 9, well behind Golan Way (10-13) at Wincanton 2m 6f hcp hdl (2) sft in Dec.
Arcalis 20-1 (11-12) Held up in rear, not fluent 8th, headway and hung left after 3 out, weakened 2 out, 8th of 22, 19l behind Sunnyhillboy (11-0) at Aintree 2m 4f Listed hcp hdl (1) gd in Apr.
Pause And Clause (IRE) 6-5fav (11-2) Held up, ridden and mistake 3 out, soon one pace, 4th of 8, 15l behind Theatrical Moment (11-2) at Leicester 2m 4f beg chs (4) gd in Dec.
Viper 11-4fav (11-5) Led and soon clear, 30 lengths clear 4 out, unextended, won at Musselburgh 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-120 (3) gf in Dec '08 beating Kyber (9-7) by 10l, 15 ran.
Souffleur 40-1 (11-5) Ridden and mistake 8th, always behind, 14th of 15, 49l behind Time For Rupert (11-7) at Cheltenham 3m hcp hdl 0-155 (2) sft in Dec.
No Refuge (IRE) 40-1 (11-0) Not fluent, always in rear, struggling 4 out, tailed off, 5th of 7, 28l behind Big Buck's (11-8) at Newbury 3m hdl G2 (1) gs in Nov.
Racing Demon (IRE) 100-1 (11-10) Always behind, struggling halfway, pulled up after 9th, in a race won by Kauto Star (11-10) at Kempton 3m Grade 1 chs (4yo+) (1) gs in Dec, 13 ran.
Stravinsky Dance (10-1) 9th of 11, well behind Rendons Grace (10-5) at Auteuil(FR) 2m 3f hdl sft in Jun.
Mamlook (IRE) 7-1 (10-4) Tracked leaders, every chance after 3 out, weakened after next, 2nd of 7, 10l behind Celestial Halo (11-10) at Wincanton 2m Ltd hcp hdl (1) gs in Nov.
Nampour (FR) 9-2 (10-4) Behind, ridden and struggling after 3 out, tailed off when hit 2 out, 6th of 9, 35l behind Golan Way (10-13) at Wincanton 2m 6f hcp hdl (2) sft in Dec.
Frontier Dancer (IRE) 10-1 (11-3) Held up, tracked leaders approaching 3 out, every chance 2 out, kept on from last, not pace of winner, 2nd of 12, 5l behind Fairyland (10-8) at Newbury 2m listed hcp hdl 0-145 (1) gs in Nov.
Tullamore Dew (IRE) 9-2 (11-5) Pulled hard, held up in 5th, weakened after 3 out, tailed off, 5th of 8, 31l behind Novikov (10-0) at Kempton 2m hcp hdl 0-135 (3) sft.
Qozak (FR) 2-1fav (11-10) Raced wide, chased leaders, led 3 out, came clear after 2 out, easily, won at Taunton 2m 1f hcp hdl 0-135 (3) sft beating Benfleet Boy (11-5) by 10l, 13 ran.
Sacrilege 9-2 (11-5) Mid-division, headway to chase leaders 5th, weakened under pressure before 3 out, 8th of 13, 16l behind Empty Sky (11-1) at Ludlow 2m nov clm hdl (4) sft in Dec.
