chased leaders, pushed along and lost ground home turn, well behind 3 out, plugged on and took modest 3rd closing stages
led but pestered, headed 3 out, ridden before next, kept on, no chance with easy winner
tracked front pair, not fluent 4 out, pushed along before 3 out, ridden and weakened 2 out, lost remote 3rd closing stages
raced keenly pressing leader, led 3 out, drew away before 2 out, pushed along before last, ran on well, easily
in rear, in touch, never involved and tailed off 3 out
BURDETT ROAD will be a short price to complete the hat-trick as he easily won a Grade 2 at Cheltenham on his second start over hurdles, form which gives him the beating of Balboa. Harsh landed the odds at Cork but his jumping could be cause for concern under pressure. Salver has won at Warwick and Exeter but not against the type of opposition he’ll encounter today, though he holds Authoceltic on the form book.
Authoceltic (FR) 7-2 (11-0) Held up in rear, ridden and headway before 3 out, 3 lengths down in 4th approaching last, soon stayed into 3rd, kept on same pace close home, 3rd of 10, 9l behind Salver (11-7) at Exeter 2m 1f (4) gs in Nov.
Balboa 8-1 (11-4) Tracked clear leader until 5th, tracked leaders, ridden 2 out, left 2nd at last, stayed on, 2nd of 7, 3l behind An Bradan Feasa (11-4) at Cheltenham 2m 1f (2) sft in Dec.
Harsh 2-5fav (11-0) Tracked leaders, not fluent 3rd, 3rd halfway and 2nd 4 out, headway to lead before 2 out where not fluent, asserted approaching last and kept on well run-in, easily, won at Cork 2m 1f mdn Soft - Heavy in Dec beating Evening's Empire (10-7) by 8l, 10 ran.
Salver (FR) 7-4fav (11-7) Midfield, not fluent 3rd, smooth headway before 3 out where pressed leader, travelling best 2 out, soon led and ridden, 2 lengths clear approaching last, stayed on well run-in, readily, won at Exeter 2m 1f (4) gs in Nov beating Valadon (11-0) by 5 1/2l, 10 ran.
Seahouses 11-1 (11-0) Towards rear, not fluent 1st, awkward 4th, tailed off 3 out, 5th of 6, dist behind Burdett Road (11-0) at Huntingdon 2m (4) gs in Nov.
Burdett Road 9-4 (11-0) Held up in rear, not fluent at times, headway approaching last, ridden to lead run in, ran on, comfortable, won at Cheltenham 2m (1) sft in Nov beating An Bradan Feasa (11-0) by 6 1/2l, 11 ran.
