tracked leading pair, went 2nd from 5th, challenged 4 out, led 2 out, clear before last, in command when eased up towards finish
led 5th, ridden and joined 3 out, headed 2 out, weakened before last, no impression on winner and lost 2nd flat
tracked leading trio, pushed along in 3rd from 6th, stayed on approaching last, went 2nd flat, kept on as winner eased towards finish, no chance
took keen hold, led until 5th, jumped awkwardly and dropped to rear next, lost touch 7th, tailed off
held up last until blundered and fell 3rd
SHOREACRES is preferred to The Jazz Musician with Copper Bleu yet to fall in love with chasing. There were high hopes for Copper Bleu at the start of the season but he has yet to jump with any fluency and sometimes gives the impression of being quite a buzzy horse that seems to use up plenty of energy. He's got plenty of good form in testing conditions and is capable of producing very smart form but looks best watched until proving more at home over the larger obstacles. Shoreacres was the first of the British runners home in the 2008 Cheltenham bumper and returned to the Festival to finish seventh in the Supreme Novices' last year. That's probably about as good as he is but he has the scope to jump fences and is certainly good enough to win a race of this nature. He was entitled to need his first run of the season where he weakened rather tamely after being hampered and may improve sufficiently to land this. The Jazz Musician is also highly regarded but he missed the whole of last season and may still need a little time. It was an encouraging enough run last time over a trip that looked to be on the short side and he may need to step up in distance to gain a success although the testing nature of this track will assist. South O'The Border has his second start over fences on debut for a new yard and is no forlorn hope but probably best watched on this occasion as we look to Shoreacres to lead them home.
Copper Bleu (IRE) 1-2fav (11-0) Held up, headway to chase winner approaching 6th, hit 3 out, challenged from 2 out, mistake last, not recover, 2nd of 7, 2 3/4l behind My Moment (11-0) at Warwick 2m beg chs (4) sft in Dec.
Shoreacres (IRE) 7-2 (10-13) Chased leaders in 4th, effort and close up when slightly hampered 2 out, soon ridden and no extra before last, 3rd of 8, 6l behind King Edmund (10-13) at Plumpton 2m 1f nov chs (3) sft in Dec.
South O'The Border 13-2 (10-1) Held up in touch, joined leader after 5th, led next, headed approaching 2nd last, hard ridden and kept on gamely, 2nd of 10, 1 3/4l behind Ballyfitz (11-1) at Sandown 2m 6f hcp hdl (2) hvy in Dec.
The Jazz Musician (IRE) 9-4 (11-0) Led, headed before 2 out, soon weakened, 3rd of 5, 6l behind Den of Iniquity (11-0) at Folkestone 2m beg chs (4) sft in Nov.
Red Bishop 100-1 (10-9) Held up towards rear, not fluent 4th, weakened 7th, tailed off when pulled up before 4 out, in a race won by Silver Kate (10-12) at Chepstow 2m 4f nov hdl (4) hvy in Dec, 11 ran.
