tracked leader, mistake 3rd, struggling 6th, headway 3 out, chased leader next, stayed on strongly to lead close home
with leader, led 3rd, headed 8th, weakened 2 out
chased leaders, ridden 7th, weakened next, behind when pulled up soon after 3 out
led until 3rd, remained prominent, lost place 6th, rallied 8th, led again 3 out, headed after last, no extra
chased leaders, hard driven 7th, led next, headed 3 out, weakened after next
Aghill is better known as a chaser and stays much further than this. However, he takes a significant drop in grade here and shouldn't be far away. But we prefer ROYAL DEFENCE, who hasn't shown a great deal in two hurdles runs to date but liked soft ground on the Flat and may have too much speed for these on this tight track. Tannerman managed to complete at Doncaster last time but is hardly reliable and the other pair make little appeal at the weights.
Aghill (IRE) 33-1 (10-9) Mistake 1st, held up in rear, headway to chase leaders 12th, slow and lost place next, behind from 15th, tailed off, 10th of 12, well behind Time For Spring (11-9) at Sandown 3m hcp chs 0-125 (3) gs in Nov.
Monroe Park (IRE) 33-1 (10-12) In rear, headway to track leaders 7th, ridden 3 out, plugged on from 2out, 5th of 11, 25l behind Me Fein (10-1) at Fakenham 2m 4f sll hcp hdl 0-95 (5) gs in Nov.
Royal Defence (IRE) 33-1 (11-0) Tracked leaders in 4th, ridden before 2 out, soon weakened, 6th of 11, 16l behind Moscow Presents (11-0) at Towcester 2m mdn hdl (5) sft in Dec.
Tannerman (IRE) 7-1 (11-7) Chased leader and keen, weakened before 2 out, 10th of 13, 37l behind Killimore Cottage (10-11) at Doncaster 2m 3f nov hcp hdl 0-100 (5) sft in Nov.
Wave Breaker (IRE) 150-1 (10-7) Keen in rear, ridden 8th, soon behind, last of 10, 45l behind Ericht (10-4) at Fakenham 2m 4f NH mdn hdl (5) sft in Dec.
