held up in touch, outpaced after 2 out, well held after, kept on flat
held up in rear, weakened after 2 out, tailed off
mid-division, headway approaching last, stayed on, went 4th towards finish, not trouble leaders
tracked leaders on inside, ridden after 2 out, hampered last, edged left towards finish, 3rd and held after, kept on
tracked leaders, challenging when not fluent 2 out, every chance when badly hampered last, not recover
held up towards rear, headway on outside after 2 out, led narrowly when fell last
held up in rear, raced keenly, some headway before last, never figured
held up in touch in mid-division, not fluent 2nd, headway before 2 out, weakened approaching last
prominent, led 3rd, headed 2 out, soon lost place
held up towards rear, mistake 5th, weakened after 2 out, tailed off
held up rear of mid-division, headway when slightly hampered last, switched left flat, stayed on well, led towards finish, won going away
in rear, mistake 5th, not fluent 2 out, some late headway, no impression
held up towards rear, headway on outside approaching 2 out, weakening when mistake and hampered last
chased leaders on inside, lost a few places 3 out, hampered last, kept on, no impression
tracked leaders, every chance 2 out, driven and lost place approaching last
led, headed 3 out, led 2 out, headed when left in lead last, soon hung right, headed towards finish
Withdrawn
Tegerek landed a gamble over track and trip two runs ago and followed that up with a good third off 8lb higher here last month when Benny's Bridge was sixth. The latter, a course specialist, was making his reappearance that day, however, and badly hampered by a faller so it would be no surprise if he got a lot closer granted luck in-running. Haafapiece didn’t find as much as expected off the bridle at Wetherby last time but is likely to be thereabouts again and Breffniboy is in the form of his life and on a four-timer. Marlborough Sounds is another at the top of his game but Crooks Peak has had wind surgery and switched stables since his second at Kempton in October. Harefield has been going well but, in a wide-open handicap, we’ll stick with the fast-improving SARASOTA STAR who won off this mark at Carlisle under Rex Dingle and only has one below him in the weights.
Nelson River 40-1 (11-12) Mid-division, lost place before 4 out, headway before 2 out, ran on after last, 4th of 11, 10 3/4l behind Buzz (11-11) at Ascot 2m hcp (2) sft in Nov.
Benny's Bridge (IRE) 6-1 (11-8) In rear, switched left to avoid faller 2 out, soon ridden, weakened run in, 6th of 17, 21 1/2l behind Tegerek (10-10) at Cheltenham 2m hcp (3) gd in Oct.
Clemencia (IRE) 18-1 (11-6) Held up in touch, ridden 3 out, fell 2 out, at Cheltenham 2m hcp (3) gd in Oct.
Marlborough Sounds 5-2jfav (11-12) Chased leader, not fluent 2nd, challenged 3 out, led next, headed last, held flat, stayed on, 2nd of 9, 1 1/2l behind Fransham (11-7) at Wetherby 2m hcp (3) gs in Oct.
Nordic Combined (IRE) 5-1 (11-11) Chased leaders, close 2nd bypassing omitted 3 out, led before 2 out, soon hung fire, hit last, headed and no extra final 110 yards, 2nd of 16, 1 1/2l behind Calva D'Auge (12-0) at Taunton 2m 3f hcp (3) gd in Nov.
Haafapiece 15-8fav (11-9) Mid-division, headway chasing leaders before bit keen tracking leaders, went 3rd travelling well 3 out, close 2nd next, found little and held between last 2, held on for 2nd, 2nd of 9, 3 3/4l behind Albert's Back (11-7) at Wetherby 2m hcp (3) sft in Nov.
Crooks Peak 33-1 (11-2) In touch in rear, headway and every chance from 2 out, ridden and kept on one pace run in, 2nd of 7, 1 1/4l behind Locker Room Talk (11-12) at Kempton 2m 2f hcp (3) gd in Oct.
Rowland Ward 11-1 (11-7) In rear, pushed along and headway 2 out, chased leading pair next, kept on one pace, 3rd of 9, 6 1/4l behind Wild Max (11-10) at Huntingdon 2m hcp (3) gd in Nov.
Harefield (IRE) 9-4fav (11-12) Chased leaders out wide, reminder after 4 out, went 2nd before 3 out, led before next, ridden and headed before last, lost 2nd close home, 3rd of 10, 3 1/2l behind The Twisler (11-4) at Plumpton 2m hcp (3) sft in Nov.
Speed Company (IRE) 8-1 (11-5) Held up on inside, some headway when blundered 3 out, ridden and beaten soon after, never on terms, 6th of 10, dist behind Mario De Pail (11-12) at Wetherby 2m 4f hcp (3) sft in Nov.
Breffniboy (FR) 15-8fav (11-8) Held up in rear, headway on outside normal 3 out, led next, ridden out, won at Leicester 2m hcp (4) sft in Nov beating Chazza (11-12) by 3/4l, 10 ran.
Always Resolute 25-1 (11-7) Midfield, ridden before 3 out, one pace, 8th of 18, 23l behind Arrivederci (11-10) at Wetherby 2m 4f hcp (3) sft in Oct.
Torcello (IRE) 20-1 (8-8) In touch, ridden and weakened over 2f out, last of 23, dist behind On To Victory (9-0) at Doncaster 1m 4f hcp (2) sft in Nov.
Zamani (GER) 10-1 (11-1) Raced keenly, held up tracking leaders, headway into modest 3rd and hit 2 out, weakened and lost that placing close home, 4th of 6, 11 1/4l behind Thahab Ifraj (10-3) at Kempton 2m hcp (3) gd in Nov.
Sarasota Star (IRE) 9-2 (11-5) Held up in midfield, headway to chase leaders 3 out, close up 2 out, upsides last, 1 length down on landing, stayed on strongly under pressure to lead final strides, won at Carlisle 2m 1f hcp (4) sft in Nov beating Applaus (11-2) by nk, 11 ran.
Lively Citizen (IRE) 33-1 (10-8) Chased leaders, closed last, led flat, stayed on, held on well, won at Cheltenham 2m hcp (3) gs in Nov beating One True King (12-0) by hd, 17 ran.
Tegerek (FR) 4-1fav (10-4) Reluctant down at the start, held up towards rear, headway from 3 out, went 3rd after last, switched right and stayed on, no impression on winner inside final 100 yards, 3rd of 14, 3 1/4l behind The Shunter (10-0) at Cheltenham 2m hcp (1) sft in Nov.
