pulled early and held up in mid-division, mistake 12th and 15th, headway and blundered 16th, blundered 17th and 4 out, ridden and challenged 3 out, switched left after 2 out, no chance after
led to 11th, chased leader, ridden and weakened 17th
always behind, lost touch after 17th, pulled up before 2 out
chased leader, led 11th, mistake 13th, blundered 16th, ridden after 4 out, stayed on gamely from 3 out
prominent, joint leader 12th, ridden approaching 4 out, mistake 2 out, soon weakened
Wee Anthony gets the confident vote here with Doc Row and Ranelagh Gray rating the main dangers. The selection won well lasst time out when beating Ranelagh Gray and although that rival is better off at the weights here he won with a little in hand and under similar conditions here he will be hard to beat. Doc Row rates the main danger as he was a fair fifth behind After Midnight in a good hurdle race last time out, however he returns to chasing off what looks a high enough mark and he is taken on with this in mind he is taken on. Ranelagh Gray is sure to have his supporters on these revised terms but his overall profile leaves him with a little to find. Of the remainder Roman Rampage looks handily weighted on his best form but he has shown very little of late so can not be put forward with any confidence and with this in mind for the winner we return to Wee Anthony.
Doc Row (IRE) 8-1 (11-4) Prominent, not fluent 2nd, driven along 6th, outpaced after 3 out, stayed on flat, 5th of 20, 11l behind After Midnight (9-13) at Cheltenham 2m 5f cnd hcp hdl 0-120 (3) gd in Nov.
Torche (IRE) 25-1 (10-7) Tracked leaders and keen, led 5th, clear 7th, ridden and headed 11th, rallied to lead again approaching 5 out, headed next, weakened 2 out, 3rd of 11, 8l behind I Hear Thunder (10-0) at Chepstow 3m hcp chs 0-145 (B) gd in Oct '05.
Roman Rampage 100-1 (11-2) Always last, losing touch when blundered 11th, tailed off, last of 5, well behind Boychuk (11-5) at Newbury 3m nov chs Grd 2 (1) gs in Nov.
Ranelagh Gray (IRE) 8-1 (11-6) Prominent, led 11th, ridden after 15th, headed and no extra close home, 2nd of 9, 3l behind Wee Anthony (11-1) at Lingfield 3m hcp chs 0-110 (4) sft in Nov.
Wee Anthony (IRE) Evensfav (11-1) Held up, steady progress from 10th, ridden to chase leader approaching 3 out, challenge last, stayed on to lead close home, won at Lingfield 3m hcp chs 0-110 (4) sft in Nov beating Ranelagh Gray (11-6) by 3l, 9 ran.
