chased leaders, mistake 3rd, weakened approaching 2 out
held up in touch, pushed along after 7th, reminders after next, pulled up before 10th
disputed lead until a close 2nd and blundered and unseated rider 9th
held up, headway approaching 11th, led approaching last, stayed on well
disputed lead until led approaching 9th, headed approaching last, no chance with winner
held up, outpaced 4 out, rallied 2 out, kept on same pace
held up, unseated rider 1st
FIGURITA gets the nomination in this handicap chase, while Kikos looks to be the next best. Charlie Mann's mare is quite a consistent sort, who seems to go on any ground. Although she perhaps doesn't have the stamina for much further than this, she should see it out pretty well and she may be just about good enough. The weak nature of the race means that there aren't too many rivals leaping out off the page at us but Kikos looks to be one. A couple of recent chase runs over similar trips mark him out as a leading player and he acts on the ground so can't be discounted. Mixsterthetrixster has been a grand servant to a couple of yards and he has his ground and optimum trip here. He has dropped to a handy mark and should be thereabouts. Whitewater Dash makes his chase debut from a very reasonable mark and after a recent hurdles spin he is worth a market check to see if there is any confidence. Without that knowledge we'll take Figurita to score.
Kikos (FR) 4-1fav (10-9) In touch, led 11th, ridden 3 out, headed last, no extra, 2nd of 12, 2l behind By George (10-7) at Huntingdon 2m 4f hcp chs 0-115 (4) gd in Nov.
Mixsterthetrixster (USA) 7-1 (11-6) Prominent, raced keenly, weakened approaching 12th, 5th of 10, 41l behind Najca De Thaix (11-12) at Warwick 2m 4f hcp chs 0-110 (4) sft in Nov.
Figurita 15-2 (10-12) Led, not fluent 3rd, headed next, chased winner to 3 out, weakened approaching 2 out, 3rd of 4, 33l behind Fit To Drive (10-9) at Leicester 2m mrs nov chs (4) gd in Nov.
Whitewater Dash 40-1 (11-5) Held up, headway 2 out, chased leaders 2 out, close up and no extra flat, 3rd of 10, 3l behind Ring Bo Ree (10-8) at Hereford 2m 4f nov hcp hdl 0-100 (4) gd in Nov.
Lost In Normandy (IRE) 5-1 (11-9) Prominent, lost place 6 out, 11th of 15, well behind Smart Man (10-8) at Newcastle 3m hcp chs (5) gd in Oct.
Ticket To Ride (FR) 12-1 (10-3) Raced wide, always prominent, ridden to chase winner 4 out until 3 out, ridden to chase winner again when jumped left approaching last, lost 2nd towards finish, 3rd of 11, 3l behind Jackella (11-11) at Fakenham 2m 5f hcp chs 0-105 (4) gs.
Always Baileys (IRE) 7-1 (10-2) Held up, ridden and outpaced 7th, some progress 3 out, short lived effort, 5th of 11, 18l behind Furze Hill (10-6) at Towcester 2m cnd hcp chs (5) sft in Nov.
