made virtually all, ridden and stayed on strongly run-in
held up in mid-division, headway chasing leaders 2 out, weakened omitted last
chased leaders until lost place and behind before 3rd, soon lost touch, tailed off
chased leaders, weakened approaching 2 out (normal 3 out)
soon chasing leaders, pushed along before the last, (normal 2 out) outpaced turning in, plugged on towards finish, went modest 3rd final strides, no chance with leading duo
chased leader, led briefly before 2nd, lost 2nd on long run before 2 out, weakened soon after
chased leaders out wide, went 2nd on long run before 2 out, ridden after bypassing omitted last, no chance with leading duo, weakened and lost two places final strides
held up in mid-division, steady headway out wide on long run before 2 out, went 2nd home turn, stayed on same pace, no chance with winner
towards rear, tailed off and pulled up after 2nd
bad mistake 1st, always behind, tailed off
off the pace and always towards rear
held up off the pace towards rear, headway bypassing omitted last, stayed on towards finish just missed 3rd, never going pace of leading duo
off the pace towards rear, ridden and no impression before 2 out
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Willie Mullins sends over Dads Lad, who beat compatriot Thousand Tears on the Flat during the summer and has won twice over fences since. He can race off a lower mark back over timber though that was also the case when beaten at Listowel in September and it could pay to stick with the progressive SONIGINO (NAP). The latter landed a double at Chepstow last month and Paul Nicholls’ charge looks far enough ahead of the handicapper to defy a further rise. Nina The Terrier finished behind the selection though re-opposes on better terms while the latter’s stablemate Harbour Lake is in the upgrade having made a winning return at Market Rasen. I Like To Move It won on last year’s card while N'Golo beat Severance in the Swinton Hurdle at Haydock in May. Gin Coco and Different Kind could go well and Playful Saint represents last year’s winning yard.
I Like To Move It 8-1 (11-2) Prominent, not fluent 5th, outpaced after 2 out, soon weakened, 18th of 26, 19 1/4l behind State Man (11-1) at Cheltenham 2m 1f hcp (1) gs in Mar.
Cormier (IRE) 15-2 (8-8) Pulled hard in rear, never better than mid-division, 10th of 15, 7 3/4l behind Emiyn (8-7) at Chester 2m 3f hcp (2) gs in Sep.
N'Golo (IRE) 28-1 (10-9) Chased leaders, headway over 3 out, ridden after 2 out and soon challenged, led after last, ran on strongly and went clear flat, won at Haydock 2m hcp (1) gs in May beating Severance (10-8) by 6 1/2l, 16 ran.
A Different Kind (IRE) 3-1 (11-4) Mid-division, headway on outside before 2 out, went 2nd last, stayed on, pressing winner close home, just held, 2nd of 11, shd behind Peking Rose (11-0) at Aintree 2m 4f hcp (2) gs in Oct.
Harbour Lake (IRE) 7-4fav (11-11) Chased leaders, headway 2 out, shaken up approaching last, ridden and switched left to challenge between rivals run-in, stayed on well to lead 110 yards out, gamely, won at Market Rasen 2m 5f hcp (3) gs in Oct beating Big Bad Bear (11-0) by 3/4l, 7 ran.
Sonigino (FR) 4-5fav (11-10) Kept wide most of way, soon led, went clear 3 out, kept on strongly, unchallenged, won at Chepstow 2m hcp (3) gs in Oct beating Forever William (11-10) by 13l, 6 ran.
Nina The Terrier (IRE) 5-2 (11-0) Held up in touch in rear, not fluent 6th, ridden and 2 1/2 lengths 3rd when fell 3 out, at Wetherby 2m lst (1) gs in Oct.
Gin Coco (FR) 1-3fav (11-6) Prominent, led after 4th, hampered by loose horse next, pushed along when badly hampered by loose horse before 2 out, went clear before last, comfortably, won at Newton Abbot 2m 1f (4) gd in Oct beating Call The Dawn (10-13) by 4 1/2l, 12 ran.
Thousand Tears (IRE) 8-1 (11-12) Settled behind leaders, 7th halfway, ridden and no impression 2f out, closer on inner in 5th 1f out, no extra inside final furlong, 9th of 18, 6 1/4l behind Dads Lad (11-12) at Galway 1m 4f mdn Good - Yielding in Jul.
Severance 2-1fav (10-6) Tracked leader, driven along 2 out, kept on one pace, 3rd of 5, 2 1/4l behind Effernock Fizz (10-6) at Ffos Las 2m hcp (2) gd in Oct.
Dads Lad (IRE) 7-2 (10-10) Held up in rear, jumped left 1st, headway on outside when not fluent 9th, hanging left from after 3 out, went 2nd 2 out, led flat, driven out, won at Cheltenham 2m hcp (2) gd in Oct beating Effernock Fizz (10-8) by 3/4l, 7 ran.
First Impression (IRE) 13-2 (9-9) Raced wide tracked leaders 2f, steadied back towards rear, ridden and headway 2f out, kept on one pace, 4th of 9, 5 1/4l behind Mr Alan (9-12) at Nottingham 1m 2f hcp (3) sft in Oct.
Mark Of Gold 2-1fav (11-12) Prominent, led narrowly home turn, asserted after 2 out, jumped left last, ridden run-in and ran on well, won at Plumpton 2m hcp (3) gs in Oct beating Tara Iti (10-5) by 2 1/2l, 6 ran.
Current Mood 8-1 (12-2) Mid-division, headway into close 4th home turn, stayed on, no impression on leaders, 3rd of 12, 8 1/4l behind The Changing Man (10-5) at Ffos Las 2m 4f hcp (3) gs in Oct.
Playful Saint (FR) 9-2 (11-13) Raced keenly, steadied rear, plugging on modest 4th when hit 3 out, never threatened, 4th of 6, 19 1/4l behind Sonigino (11-10) at Chepstow 2m hcp (3) gs in Oct.
Castel Gandolfo (IRE) 11-2 (11-5) Led, hit 3rd and joined, headed approaching 3 out, chased leaders, ridden and weakened between last two, 5th of 7, 19 1/2l behind Herbiers (12-2) at Newbury 2m hcp (3) gd in Nov.