always towards rear
started slowly, held up in rear, headway and hit 3 out, modest 5th and hung left from next
held up towards rear, headway after 4 out, 4th under pressure before next, driven to modest 3rd just before 2 out, no chance with leading duo
chased leader until 6th, weakened 4 out, tailed off
led, ridden and pressed 3 out, went right and headed next, no chance with winner, kept on for clear 2nd
never better than mid-division, under pressure 5th, soon behind, tailed off and pulled up before 3 out
behind, tailed off 4 out, pulled up before next
chased leaders, driven along from after 3rd, went 2nd 6th until 4 out, lost 3rd 2 out, weakened soon after, finished tired
towards rear, headway to dispute modest 5th approaching 2 out, never a danger
mid-division, weakened soon after 4 out, tailed off
always rear-division, tailed off
chased leaders, 2nd from 4 out, led 2 out, clear last, driven out
mid-division, weakened before 4 out, tailed off and pulled up before next
chased leaders until weakened after 4 out, pulled up before next
raced wide in mid-division, headway 6rh, stayed on to modest 4th towards finish
close up until weakened before 4 out, tailed off
JUST THE JOB won a couple of lowly handicaps on consecutive days in November and the handicapper has reacted by raising him 18lb. However, he is on the upgrade and with a 7lb claimer back on board, he may not have finished winning yet. Laustra Bad lacks a recent win despite slipping down the weights but Point West posted an improved effort at Chepstow last time when runner-up over 2m4f. Mic's Delight finished third on that occasion, after fading in the closing stages, but may reverse the form over this shorter trip on quicker ground.
Amore Mio (GER) 18-1 (11-2) Held up towards rear, reminders approaching 3rd, soon struggling, 15th of 18, well behind Requin (10-2) at Exeter 2m 1f hcp hdl 0-130 (3) gs in Dec.
Point West (IRE) 33-1 (10-9) Held up in rear, steady headway before 7th, chased leades 4 out, went 3rd before next, went 2nd last, never any chance with easy winner, 2nd of 16, 9l behind Golden Chieftain (10-12) at Chepstow 2m 4f nh nov hdl (4) sft in Nov.
Ceepeegee (IRE) 20-1 (10-12) Chased leaders, ridden before 7th, soon lost touch, tailed off, 12th of 16, well behind Buck Magic (10-7) at Wincanton 2m 6f nh nov hdl (4) gd in Nov.
As De Fer (FR) 33-1 (10-9) Took keen hold, tracked leaders, chased clear leader 6f out until 4f out, weakened over 2f out, 8th of 10, 12l behind Chain Of Command (11-0) at Kempton 2m Nat Hunt Flat (4yo+) (AWT) (4) std in Dec.
Horsford (IRE) 33-1 (10-11) Led, headed approaching 3 out, weakened after 2 out, 8th of 18, 19l behind Requin (10-2) at Exeter 2m 1f hcp hdl 0-130 (3) gs in Dec.
Murcar 5-1 (11-0) In touch, closed 6th, every chance approaching 2 out, weakened before last, 4th of 10, 21l behind Points of View (11-7) at Bangor 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-125 (3) gd in Aug.
Abstract Art (USA) 100-1 (11-10) In touch on outside, not fluent 5th, hit next, mistake 3 out, soon weakened, 9th of 17, 43l behind Grafite (11-1) at Towcester 2m 3f hcp hdl 0-120 (3) sft in Dec.
Laustra Bad (FR) 8-1 (10-4) Tracked leader, ridden and hit 3 out, kept on from last, no impression, 4th of 18, 13l behind Requin (10-2) at Exeter 2m 1f hcp hdl 0-130 (3) gs in Dec.
Drussell (IRE) 66-1 (11-0) Held up towards rear, weakened from 4th, 13th of 18, 38l behind Requin (10-2) at Exeter 2m 1f hcp hdl 0-130 (3) gs in Dec.
Mister Benedictine 50-1 (11-12) Mid-division, headway to track leaders 10th, ridden and effort 2 out, 4th and one pace when blundered last, no extra, 5th of 18, 9l behind Rimini (11-5) at Newbury 2m 2f hcp chs 0-115 (4) gd in Dec.
Dinarius 12-1 (11-4) Held up in rear on outside, took keen hold, headway 7th, one pace from 2 out, 4th of 17, 13l behind Grafite (11-1) at Towcester 2m 3f hcp hdl 0-120 (3) sft in Dec.
Mic's Delight (IRE) 9-4fav (10-12) Chased leaders, led 4 out until 3 out, no chance with winner from 2 out, weakened and lost 2nd last, 3rd of 16, 12l behind Golden Chieftain (10-12) at Chepstow 2m 4f nh nov hdl (4) sft in Nov.
Just The Job (IRE) 1-2fav (11-9) Towards rear, hit 5th, headway 7th, led and hit 2 out, ridden out, readily, won at Ludlow 2m 5f am hcp hdl 0-95 (5) gs in Nov beating Cool Bob (11-11) by 16l, 5 ran.
Woodmore (IRE) 7-2 (11-9) Held up in rear, blundered badly 1st, mistake 6th, hampered next, some headway 10th, lost place next, well beaten after 3 out, tailed off, 7th of 12, well behind Mud Monkey (10-13) at Huntingdon 2m 4f hcp chs 0-115 (4) gs in Nov.
Max Bygraves 14-1 (10-7) Held up in rear, hampered 4 out, headway approaching 2 out, stayed on before last, never going pace to get involved, 5th of 23, 26l behind Aegean Dawn (11-0) at Cheltenham 2m 5f hcp hdl 0-125 (3) gs in Nov.
Castlerock 14-1 (10-12) Raced keenly, held up behind in touch, outpaced 3 out, soon no impression, beaten when not fluent last, 5th of 8, 21l behind Cue Card (10-12) at Aintree 2m 4f NH nov hdl 4-6yo (3) gs in Oct.
