chased leaders, chased winner 2 out, no extra last
chased leaders, ridden approaching 3 out, hard ridden to lead 2 out, kept on well
close up, left in lead 13th, headed 2 out, soon weakened
in touch, outpaced 5 out, soon weakened, pulled up before 2 out
always towards rear
led, landed badly 13th, not recovered
mid-division, weakened 11, pulled up before 12th
towards rear, struggling from 9th, pulled up before 5 out
held up, blundered 8th, weakened and tailed off when pulled up before 5 out
With the stable in good form Ballabriggs can put behind him an unlucky early exit last time and take this, while Something Silver and Great Jane may be the ones to chase him home. Sent off as the odds on favourite at Leicester last week, Ballabriggs slipped just before taking off for the first and fell, causing mayhem. Prior to that he proved he handles this ground when a good runner up over this trip at Haydock. He looks to be going the right way over fences and can break his duck in what looks a weak handicap for the track. Something Silver loves bottomless ground and has won around here and also over this trip elsewhere. However he has gone up 5lb for defeat last time and this will be no cakewalk. Great Jane scored here over 2m 5f but does not seem quite as happy on heavy ground as she is on soft, and she looks exposed. Brandy Wine loves it here and would not be a shock winner from a fair mark, though he's need it to be a true test as one who will want every yard and more here. Oliverjohn is well handicapped on his best form and loves bottomless ground, though the trip might stretch his stamina too far while General Hardi is not a bad sort but has just the one gear. Ballabriggs can put his bad luck behind him and break his duck here.
BallaBriggs (IRE) 8-15fav (11-0) Close up when unseated rider in race won by Sovereign's Joy (10-9) at Leicester 2m 7f mdn chs (4) gs in Jan, 10 ran.
Brandy Wine (IRE) 11-1 (10-6) Mid-division, reminders after 6th, ridden and weakened from 4 out and pulled up 2 out in race won by Tartan Snow (10-13) at Kelso 2m 6f hcp hdl 0-125 (3) hvy in Jan, 14 ran.
Lethem Air 40-1 (11-0) Led, hit and headed 11th, led again 4 out, headed 3 out, weakened approaching last, 6th of 9, 22l behind Crackadee (11-8) at Newcastle 3m hcp chs 0-110 (4) gs in Jan.
Great Jane (FR) 11-8fav (11-5) Led, headed 11th, led again approaching 4 out, ridden and soon headed, kept on after, 3rd of 7, 9l behind Johnny Roche (11-4) at Musselburgh 2m 4f hcp chs 0-110 (4) sft in Jan.
Oliverjohn (IRE) 8-1 (11-3) In touch when blundered badly and unseated rider at the 6th in race won by Digital Media (11-2) at Carlisle 2m hcp chs 0-105 (4) sft, 7 ran.
Something Silver 5-2 (10-8) Led until ridden and headed last, outpaced flat, 2nd of 8, 2l behind Corlande (11-6) at Kelso 2m 1f hcp chs 0-110 (4) hvy in Jan.
General Hardi 9-4fav (11-8) Tracked leaders, ridden 2 out, weakened from last, 3rd of 12, 17l behind High Five (10-0) at Kelso 3m 1f cnd hcp chs (5) hvy in Jan.
Mr Twins (ARG) 66-1 (10-0) Always towards rear, lost touch from 7th, tailed off when pulled up at the last in race won by Dundock (10-7) at Musselburgh 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-120 (3) gs, 13 ran.
Seeking Straight (IRE) 33-1 (10-3) Led, ridden and headed before 3 out, weakened next, 6th of 12, 26l behind Onefourfun (11-6) at Wetherby 2m 3f nov hcp hdl 0-110 (4) gs in Dec.
