behind, mistake 6th, lost touch 12th, tailed off
soon tracking leaders, ridden 8th, went 2nd to 12th, hard ridden approaching 14th, rallied approaching last, always held
led 2nd till headed and ridden 11th, weakened after 13th, tailed off
held up in touch, headway 9th, led 11th, went clear approaching 14th, shaken up flat, very easily
in touch 2nd, settled towards rear, headway 13th, ridden and one-paced from next
led 1st, headed 2nd, prominent until ridden and weakened 11th, tailed and pulled up before 2 out
prominent, chased leader from 3rd to 10th, ridden next, tailed off
prominent chasing leaders when blundered and unseated rider 5th
This looks a very tough contest on paper, but the TEAMtalk selection goes to Gunner Welburn. This Ian Balding-trained 10-year-old is better known for his prowess on the Hunter Chase circuit, but he looks a real force to be reckoned with in this three-mile race to be run in the mud. His is used to carry more than 11st 10lb in his races, so his 11st 7lb allocation should not hamper his chances, and his three recent victories have come on either soft or heavy ground. He loves going left-handed, as he proved when finishing runner-up in both the Christies' Foxhunter Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, then the Martell Fox Hunters' Chase at Aintree. He has also won on every one of his reappearances, and his stablemates having recently come into winning form. The market looks certain to go with Storm Damage from Paul Nicholls' yard. This 10-year-old won around Chepstow back in 1999. but hasn't returned since December 2000. He won a Class C three-mile event in good style at Sandown in March, beating Billingsgate by just over three lengths, but failed to develop consistency in his results last season. He made a promising season bow at Sandown last month, where he finished 17 lengths second to Mazileo on good to soft ground. He has continued to climb up the ratings, but has never managed to win on heavy ground when carrying more than 10st 11lb - over a stone less than he'll be carrying on Saturday. On the other hand, his stablemates and jockey have been in great form of late and it would be dangerous to write him off. Royal Tommy is another course winner to take part in this race, having won here over three miles five-and-half furlongs in March. He is proven around the course and on the mud, but the worry is that this three-mile trip is not far enough for him. On the other hand, he needed his last run at Cheltenham, where he was pulled up, and should run into the places if tactics pay off. Ambleside would be another with an each-way chance. He was hiked in the ratings last season after scoring a four-length win over Murt's Man in the three-mile Class B Alanbrooke Memorial Chase at Sandown in February. However, he failed to build on that success and has consequently slipped in the ratings. He needed his race at Newton Abbot last month, where he finished just nine lengths adrift of the winner, and should appreciate a return to the Welsh course. Mickthecutaway developed into a consistent chaser last season, and wouldn't be without a chance when he makes his seasonal debut. He won twice over three miles in his last campaign, and his jockey claims 5lb off his 11st 9lb weight on Saturday.
