midfield, pushed along briefly after 3rd, towards rear 6th, ridden after 4 out, tailed off 3 out
held up in touch, ridden and weakened quickly before 3 out, soon tailed off, pulled up before last
led, ridden and headed before 2 out, stayed on
held up towards rear, headway travelling strongly before 4 out, ridden approaching 3 out, chased leaders 2 out, kept on without troubling front pair
midfield, chased leaders 4 out, ridden before 3 out, weakened before 2 out where not fluent
prominent, close up 3 out, ridden to lead before 2 out, drew clear last, pushed out
held up in rear, pushed along after 4th, awkward 5th, ridden and no impression 4 out, soon beaten
pressed leader, relegated to midfield 4th, ridden towards rear 4 out, some headway before 3 out, plugged on from 2 out
SKYTASTIC defied a penalty to win a second bumper here just under a year ago, beating Conceroe by a length-and-a-quarter. The latter beat Commodore Miller in a Fakenham maiden last month which suggests that Sam Thomas’ hurdling debutant should have the measure of the Nicky Henderson runner. Henderson also runs Hyland, a fair fourth at Taunton, with Ian Williams also double-handed having declared the former pointer Ron Burgundy and bumper winner Starlyte but Godrevy Point was only beaten a short-head over 2m5f here in November so looks the biggest danger.
Bannside (IRE) 40-1 (11-5) Held up in last, pushed along 4 out, no impression, well beaten 3 out, 6th of 8, 27 1/4l behind Escapeandevade (11-5) at Ayr 2m 4f (4) sft in Jan.
Commodore Miller 7-2 (11-4) Keen led 2nd, ridden approaching last, headed close home, 2nd of 6, 1/2l behind Conceroe (11-4) at Fakenham 2m 4f mdn (4) gs in Dec.
Godrevy Point (FR) 10-3 (10-12) Led, pushed along before 3 out, strongly pressed after 2 out, ridden before last, not fluent and headed final flight, rallied and kept on strongly run-in, just denied, 2nd of 6, shd behind Lyrical Genius (10-11) at Doncaster 2m 5f (4) gd in Nov.
Hyland (FR) 18-1 (11-5) Pulled hard, chased leaders out wide, not fluent and lost place slightly 1st, headway chasing leaders and caught wide bend after 3 out, awkward next, weakened and mistake last, 4th of 9, 16 1/4l behind Jpr One (11-12) at Taunton 2m 3f (4) sft in Jan.
Ron Burgundy (IRE) 4-1 (11-11) Chsd ldrs, slw 5th, cl 6th aftr 5out, prog in 4th aftr 3out, went 2nd on outer bef 2out, 2l 2nd at last, no ex flat, 2nd of 14, 3 1/2l behind Abegudsam (11-11) at Ballycrystal 3m mdn sft in Oct.
Skytastic (FR) 9-4fav (11-9) Made all, joined 2f out, ridden over 1f out, ridden and stayed on to assert when hung right well inside final furlong, won at Doncaster 2m 1f (5) gs in Feb beating Conceroe (11-9) by 1 1/4l, 10 ran.
Shighness 33-1 (10-12) Towards rear, not fluent and ridden 4 out, plugged on from 3 out but never a factor, 3rd of 8, dist behind Galia Des Liteaux (10-12) at Wetherby 2m 4f (4) sft in Dec.
Starlyte (IRE) 16-1 (11-1) Held in last pair, not fluent 2nd, went 3rd after 4 out, no impression, well beaten from 2 out, 3rd of 5, 22l behind Drumbear (11-8) at Musselburgh 2m 4f mdn (4) sft in Jan.
