in touch, made lots of mistakes, reminder 6th, ridden 12th, outpaced 4 out, weakened next
led 2nd, mistake 14th, ridden and headed 2 out, one pace and no impression on winner flat
tracked leaders, lost place 6th, not fluent 7th or 8th, headway 12th, ridden 3 out, led 2 out, stayed on well
held up, not fluent, mistake 10th, blundered 12th, mistake next, weakened 14th
tracked leaders on outside, not fluent 1st, went 2nd 3rd, blundered 11th, ridden in 3rd before 2 out, one pace until stayed on flat
led until 2nd, in touch, pushed along 4th, ridden 12th, weakened 4 out
It's entirely possible that JUPITER REX's second run at Exeter last month came too soon after the first. Clearly better was expected and, as Venetia Williams' charge looked a promising sort a couple of years ago, we're prepared to give him another chance in a race that won't take much winning. Sky Watch is out of sorts, as is Sunny Ledgend, while Alanjou is proving difficult to predict and is 7lb higher than when scoring at Fontwell in October. Strike Fast is lightly raced for his age but is possibly flattered by his form figures as he's got nowhere near so far under Rules.
Sky Watch (IRE) 33-1 (11-10) Held up in rear, shaken up and some headway before 4 out, never on terms and well beaten from 3 out, 7th of 11, 28l behind The Ould Lad (11-10) at Leicester 2m 7f hcp chs 0-120 (4) gs in Nov.
Sunny Ledgend 14-1 (11-3) Jumped left at times, tracked leaders, one pace 3 out, no extra next, 5th of 8, 21l behind Quite By Chance (11-9) at Wincanton 2m 4f am hcp ch 0-115 (4) gd.
Jupiter Rex (FR) 11-4fav (10-13) Tracked leaders on inside, pushed along after 10th, reminder before next, soon struggling, weakened 14th, tailed off when went right 4 out, pulled up before next, in a race won by Russe Blanc (10-11) at Exeter 3m hcp chs 0-125 (3) hvy in Nov, 7 ran.
Storm Alert 20-1 (10-9) In touch on outside, behind from 7th, struggling 11th, soon lost touch and pulled up, in a race won by Russe Blanc (10-11) at Exeter 3m hcp chs 0-125 (3) hvy in Nov, 7 ran.
Alanjou (FR) 5-2fav (11-0) Held up in last trio in touch, mistake and reminder after 4th, not travel well after, lost touch 10th, pulled up before next, in a race won by Dont Do Mondays (11-12) at Fontwell 2m 6f hcp chs 0-115 (4) hvy in Nov, 7 ran.
Strike Fast (IRE) 11-2 (11-11) Led, ridden along from 7th, headed 12th, chased winner until outpaced from 3 out, 2nd of 4, 22l behind Generous Chief (11-5) at Sedgefield 3m 3f nov hcp chs 0-105 (4) sft.
