led, joined 2 out, ridden and headed between last 2, rallied last, no extra flat, stayed on for clear 2nd
tracked leader, not fluent 1st, blundered and lost 2nd 4th, chased leading pair, well held when hit 2 out, kept on same pace
last pair, not fluent 3rd, outpaced before 7th, went poor 4th 2 out, never on terms
tracked leading pair, went 2nd 4th, mistakes 6th and not fluent next, closed 3 out, upsides next, led between last 2, stayed on strongly flat, driven out
last pair, outpaced before 7th, lost poor 4th and not fluent 2 out, never on terms
EDUARD produced a cracking first run over fences here behind Pendra, who has won again since. He would have made the winner work harder had he not slipped on landing after jumping the second-last and compensation awaits today. Mwaleshi just touched off the selection in a Grade 2 hurdle at Kelso last season and won over fences at Wetherby last month but is worse off at the weights now, though still preferred to Newcastle scorer Yesyoucan. Hunters Belt has won three times over hurdles but is jumping fences late in life.
Mwaleshi 11-8fav (10-9) Led to 3rd, tracked leader until after 4th, went 2nd 3 out, ridden before 2 out, kept on well to lead towards finish, won at Wetherby 2m nov chs (4) gs in Nov beating Imjoeking (10-7) by 2 1/4l, 5 ran.
Yesyoucan (IRE) 10-11fav (11-2) Led to 2nd, led again 3rd, headed before 6th, led 11th, mistake 5 out, clear before 3 out, eased towards finish, won at Newcastle 2m 4f nov chs (4) gd in Nov beating Bit Of A Jig (11-2) by 9l, 4 ran.
Call Of Duty (IRE) 20-1 (11-0) Led, not fluent 2nd, headed after 5th, weakened 2 out, 7th of 9, 35l behind Garde La Victoire (11-0) at Aintree 2m mdn hdl (4) gs in Oct.
Eduard (IRE) 7-4 (11-2) Towards rear, headway 7 out, challenged 5 out, every chance when blundered 2 out, not recover, stayed on one pace, 2nd of 7, 4l behind Pendra (11-2) at Carlisle 2m beg chs (4) gs in Oct.
Hunters Belt (IRE) 28-1 (11-4) Mid-division, ridden and effort before 3 out, no impression, 6th when mistake last, weakened after, 6th of 14, 22l behind Dartford Warbler (10-11) at Cartmel 2m 1f hcp hdl 0-130 (3) gd in Aug.
Rupert Bear 17-2 (10-7) Led until after 3rd, tracke dleaders, led 4th, headed 6th, led again 5 out, headed before 3 out, soon weakened, 5th of 8, 26l behind Definite Dream (10-10) at Carlisle 2m nov hcp chs 0-125 (3) sft in Oct.
