For all her apparent quirks ZAFFARELLA has won her fair share of hurdles race and if she translates that form to the bigger obstacles victory may be hers, with Primrose Time and Heavenly Chorus the pair most likely to pose a threat. Lucinda Russell's mare took her tally to four wins from 17 hurdles starts when scoring last time out. That success came at around this trip on heavy ground and the form of it looks solid, so she arrives here in the form of her life. The nine-year-old wouldn't look the most obvious chasing sort, but one would presume she's schooled well enough as there would surely be more races to be won over hurdles if connections wanted to stick to them. She can get the better of Primrose Time who steps up in trip having been second to the smart Bedlam Boy over two miles the last twice. With that rival having subsequently taken second in graded company, there's no denying Primrose Time has form claims so if she stays the trip and continues her progression a high ranking awaits. Heavenly Chorus is rated within a couple of pounds of Primrose Time by the handicapper and as the former has proven stamina it is hard to separate them. However, the Reveley mare has only won on good or faster and with conditions set to be anything but that we'll take her on. More Equity is officially the highest-rated of those to have been assessed over fences so merits attention. She's very closely matched with Primrose Time on their running back in November and Ryan Mania is value for his claim, so in a tricky contest Peter Monteith's runner also comes into the reckoning. It's A Discovery is the only other one with solid looking credentials and she was in the process of running a solid race in defeat when unseating her jockey last time, so if she's better at the obstacles today it'd be no great surprise were she to chalk up further success for her in-form yard. Each of the runners has some sort of question to answer but Zaffarella has the latent ability to win this well if she copes with fences, so the mare gets our vote.
Heavenly Chorus 14-1 (10-9) Held up, blundered 9th, weakened 4 out, 5th of 11, 18l behind Lease Lend (11-12) at Catterick 2m 3f hcp chs 0-120 (3) gs.
It's A Discovery (IRE) 10-1 (10-9) Led to 4th, tracking winner when unseated rider 7th, in a race won by Over Sixty (11-4) at Market Rasen 2m 6f mrs nov chs (5yo+) (3) sft, 5 ran.
Lady Sambury 25-1 (10-13) Held up towards rear, headway approaching 8th, hit 3 out, weakened 2 out, 7th of 16, 46l behind Mister Pete (10-2) at Newcastle 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-100 (4) hvy.
Moneylaws (IRE) 11-1 (9-11) Behind, stayed on from 4 out, left 4th last, never dangerous, 4th of 14, 19l behind Categorical (11-11) at Newcastle 2m 4f hcp chs 0-100 (4) hvy.
More Equity 25-1 (10-9) In rear, pushed along after 6th, ridden 8th, weakened from 4 out, 8th of 15, 20l behind Tarabaloo (11-1) at Ayr 2m 5f hcp hdl 0-115 (4) gd.
Primrose Time 8-1 (9-13) Led to 1st, remained with winner until blundered 3 out, one pace, 2nd of 5, 6l behind Bedlam Boy (11-5) at Ayr 2m nov chs (3) sft in Dec.
Zaffarella (IRE) 4-1 (11-12) Led until approaching 2nd, handy, led again before 3 out, stayed on well, won at Uttoxeter 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-105 (4) hvy in Jan beating Pearl (11-0) by 7l, 9 ran.
