chased leaders, left close 2nd 6th, left in lead 10th, headed 12th, led after next, headed 4 out, 3rd and beaten 2 out, no extra last
tracked leader, slow and ridden briefly 4th, left in lead 6th, not fluent 8th, blundered and headed 10th, outpaced after 13th, weakened before 4 out
chased leaders, mistake 7th, ridden before 4 out, went 2nd 3 out, led next, driven out
led, blundered and unseated rider 6th
held up in touch on outside, closed 6th, led 12th, headed after next, led going well 4 out, mistake 3 out, headed and pecked slightly 2 out, shaken up before last, ridden and held flat, stayed on
Ugly Bug has the build of a chaser but has disappointed so far. He was pulled up here in December when Copper Birch finished last of three finisher. Evan Williams' charge has won since at Taunton, however, and has plenty of experience over fences. Letbeso regularly makes the frame but remains a maiden under Rules and Exeter fourth Templebraden is only slowly coming down the weights. SILVERGROVE found Monkerty Tunkerty too strong in the Somerset National at Wincanton last time but Jess Westwood's veteran is no mug. This looks a lot less competitive and the seven-year-old can get back to winning ways dropped in trip.
Copper Birch (IRE) 4-1 (11-7) Tracked leaders, left 2nd 12th, led before 3 out, clear from next, stayed on well, won at Taunton 2m 7f hcp chs 0-115 (4) sft in Jan beating Mission Complete (10-12) by 7l, 6 ran.
Templebraden (IRE) 20-1 (11-12) Jumped left, held up in mid-division on inside, mistake 5th, headway in back straight, bumped 4 out, stayed on same pace, 4th of 11, 14l behind Buckhorn Tom (10-5) at Exeter 3m nov hcp chs 0-120 (4) sft in Jan.
Letbeso (IRE) 4-1 (11-12) Prominent on inside, led 3 out, edged right before last, headed flat, no impression towards finish, 2nd of 6, 5l behind Obistar (11-3) at Plumpton 3m 1f cond hcp hdl 0-1115 (4) hvy in Jan.
Ugly Bug 8-1 (10-12) Chased leaders, mistake 4th, lost place and dropped to rear 6th, tried to rally on inside 9th, weakened 14th, pulled up before next, in a race won by Cadeau George (11-2) at Ffos Las 3m 1f hcp chs 0-135 (3) sft in Dec, 8 ran.
Silvergrove 4-1fav (10-9) In touch, chasing leaders when ridden after 4 out, 3rd and chance 3 out, 2nd before next, ridden between last two, kept on same pace, no chance with winner, 2nd of 8, 10l behind Monkerty Tunkerty (11-1) at Wincanton 3m 3f hcp chs 0-130 (3) hvy in Jan.
