chased leaders, ridden and outpaced after 14th, stayed on from next, went 3rd 3 out, stayed on to 2nd last, kept on under pressure flat, unable to reach winner
fell 2nd
chased leaders, went 2nd before 4th until before 11th, went 2nd again 4 out, held when pecked 2 out, not fluent and lost 2nd last, weakened flat, lost 3rd close home
mistakes, in touch, not fluent 5th, hit 9th, headway to get in behind leaders 11th, hit 12th and 14th, soon struggling, plugging on when blundered 3 out, keeping on in 5th when mistake last
raced wide in last pair, outpaced after 14th, stayed on from 2 out, kept on under pressure flat, went 3rd close home
chased leader until approaching 4th, ridden after 6th, went 2nd again before 11th until mistake 4 out, weakened from next, tailed off
always behind, mistake 5th, struggling 14th, tailed off when blundered 3 out, pulled up before next
made all, driven after 2 out, stayed on well from last
Canal Bank is proving a little more consistent this time around and wasn't beaten far at Bangor last month. Ammunition is a previous C&D winner and will have benefited from a recent run at Towcester while Molly Round got up late to land a mares' novice event over 2m4f here last time and will appreciate the extra half-mile. SARIKA hadn't shown much over fences prior to last month's C&D win but was clearly suited by a change of tactics and jumped well in making all. The 7lb higher mark could be a problem but he should give supporters a run for their money again in a race that lacks any strength in depth.
Ammunition (IRE) 8-1 (11-8) Tracked leaders, outpaced before 3 out, soon ridden, weakened before next, 5th of 7, well behind Picture In The Sky (10-11) at Towcester 3m hcp chs 0-120 (4) gs in Dec.
This Masquerade 6-1 (11-12) Tracked leaders in 4th, outpaced when hit 2 out (usual 3 out), kept on same pace, never on terms, 5th of 10, 24l behind Inga Bird (11-2) at Huntingdon 3m nov hcp chs 0-110 (4) gs in Dec.
Canal Bank (IRE) 5-2 (11-1) Tracked leaders, led before 2 out, headed 2 out, ridden and every chance last, no extra towards finish, 2nd of 8, 1 1/2l behind Cotswold Charmer (11-8) at Bangor 3m hcp chs 0-115 (4) hvy in Dec.
Gentle Bob (IRE) 13-2 (11-11) Tracked leading pair until blundered badly and lost place 6th, not recover, soon pulled up, in a race won by Circus Of Dreams (11-12) at Towcester 2m 3f hcp chs 0-110 (4) gs in Dec, 8 ran.
Molly Round (IRE) 4-1 (11-0) Tracked leaders on outer, went 2nd from 4th, ridden before last, kept on to lead last 50 yards, won at Exeter 2m 3f mares nov ch (4) hvy in Dec beating Brixen (11-0) by 1 1/4l, 7 ran.
Saint Peray (FR) 12-1 (10-10) Took keen hold, prominent, ridden and lost place 8th, weakened approaching 3 out, 9th of 14, 44l behind Gunna Be A Devil (11-9) at Exeter 2m 7f hcp hdl 0-115 (4) gd in Nov.
Father Probus 22-1 (10-6) Prominent, jumped right and not fluent 6th, ridden 9th, lost place 11th, well behind after 13th, 6th of 10, well behind Penny Max (11-3) at Newbury 3m nov hcp chs 0-125 (3) sft in Dec.
Sarika (FR) 15-2 (11-5) Made all, strongly pressed and stayed on gamely from 3 out, joined 2 out, driven before last, stayed on well flat, won at Exeter 3m nov hcp chs 0-105 (4) gs in Dec beating Rockabilly (11-12) by 1/2l, 11 ran.
Meet The Critics (IRE) 12-1 (11-6) Held up, jumped right and got worse as race progressed, mistake 1st, closed after 11th, ridden when pecked 17th, soon outpaced, weakened 4 out, soon pulled up, in a race won by Battlecry (10-8) at Newbury 3m 2f am hcp chs 0-125 (3) gd in Nov, 7 ran.
Apatura Dik 13-8fav (10-13) Led until mistake and pulled up before 12th, in a race won by Nicto De Beauchene (10-10) at Uttoxeter 3m nov hcp chs (3) sft in Mar '09, 9 ran.
