tracked leaders, close 3rd when fell 3 out
mid-division, headway 3 out, hit 2 out, weakened next
mid-division on outside, lost place 4th, not fluent and in rear next, tailed off
prominent, led approaching 3 out, soon headed, switched right after 2 out, no impression last
made most until 6th, soon ridden, weakened approaching 3 out, tailed off
tracked leader, challenged 2nd, led 6th, ridden and headed when hampered 3 out, weakened next
held up in rear, headway 7th, disputing 3rd and beaten when fell 2 out
mid-division, mistake 6th, behind next, tailed off
held up in touch, ridden after 7th, disputing close 5th when hampered 3 out, left 3rd when weakening 2 out
mid-division, headway approaching 7th, led 3 out, not fluent 2 out, clear last, stayed on well
held up in rear, not fluent 6th, behind next, unseated rider 3 out
held up towards rear, headway approaching 7th, ridden and struggling to keep up when brought down 3 out
always in rear, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out
Nonrunner
Teaforthree won over 3m here in November and his subsequent third in a Grade 2 at Cheltenham is probably the best form on offer here. This drop in distance may not be in his favour, however, so preference is for TULLYRAINE. Nigel Twiston-Davies' seven-year-old was returning from a break when a fair fifth in the Grade 1 Challow Hurdle at Newbury in December and even slight improvement on that effort should suffice here. Grey Gold was a wide-margin winner at Hereford last time but this represents a significant raising of the bar and just as interesting is Invictus, who would have won easily over this trip at Leicester last month had Robert Thornton not been unseated at the second-last. Market Rasen runner-up Saint Are may be best of the rest.
Saint Are (FR) 5-1 (11-12) Tracked leaders, left in lead after 5th, ridden and headed last, unable to quicken towards finish, 2nd of 15, 1 1/2l behind Problema Tic (11-12) at Market Rasen 2m 3f nh nov hdl (4) gd in Jan.
Grey Gold (IRE) 10-3 (11-5) Tracked leaders, led approaching 3 out, clear when jinked about next, stayed on well, won at Hereford 2m 1f nh nov hdl (4) hvy in Jan beating Milo Milan (11-5) by 25l, 16 ran.
Silver Token 2-1fav (10-7) Took keen hold, close up 2nd, not fluent 6th, led after next, 10 lenghts ahead when not fluent 2 out, steadied into last, driven out, won at Ffos Las 2m 4f NH mdn hdl (4) gf in Oct beating Jump Up (11-0) by 4l, 4 ran.
Teaforthree (IRE) 13-2 (11-4) Tracked leaders, hit 8th, effort 2 out, ridden approaching last, kept on and every chance flat, no extra towards finish, 3rd of 9, 3 1/2l behind Mossley (11-4) at Cheltenham 3m nov hdl G2 (1) gs in Dec.
Tullyraine (IRE) 33-1 (11-7) Raced in 5th, headway 4th, 5th after 4 out, soon pushed along, modest 5th as field came into view final 110 yards, 5th of 8, 15l behind Backspin (11-7) at Newbury 2m 5f nov hdl Grade 1 (1) gs in Dec.
Alesandro Mantegna (IRE) 10-1 (11-8) In touch until went left and mistake 2nd, ridden 4th, weakened after 3 out, 11th of 16, 28l behind Minnie Hill (10-8) at Wincanton 2m hcp hdl 0-120 (3) sft in Jan.
Bridge Street Boy 100-1 (11-2) Mid-division, ridden and weakened after 3 out, tailed off, 7th of 16, well behind Cucumber Run (11-8) at Hereford 2m 4f NH nov hdl (4-7yo) (4) sft in Jan.
Croan Rock (IRE) 6-1 (10-12) Took keen hold, chased leading pair, went 2nd approaching 3 out until weakened next, tailed off, 6th of 10, 33l behind On Trend (10-12) at Lingfield 2m 3f NH nov hdl 4-6yo (4) sft in Nov.
Fireitfromye (IRE) 10-1 (11-3) Pressed leader, narrow lead before 4th until 3 out, went 2nd again on long run to last, no chance with easy winner, 2nd of 6, 16l behind Sire De Grugy (11-10) at Folkestone 2m 1f nov hdl (4) sft.
Invictus (IRE) 4-7fav (11-5) Held up in touch, not fluent 2nd, closed 6th, went 2nd after next, led approaching 2 out, rider lost iron, jinked right and unseated rider soon after 2 out, in a race won by Extremely So (11-5) at Leicester 2m 4f nh nov hdl (4) sft in Jan, 11 ran.
Maringo Bay (IRE) 20-1 (10-12) Tracked leaders, jumped left early, slow 5th, not fluent 11th, driven to challenge 2 out, soon every chance, no extra flat, last of 3, 1 1/2l behind Mamlook (10-12) at Fakenham 2m 5f nov chs (3) hvy in Jan.
Roper (IRE) 14-1 (10-9) Mid-division, in touch after 1st, mistake 4th, left 2nd briefly 2 out, soon outpaced, 5th and beaten when fell last, in a race won by Prince Of Pirates (10-12) at Cheltenham 2m 1f NH nov hdl 4-6yo (3) gd in Dec, 16 ran.
Shootin The Breeze (IRE) 66-1 (10-11) Towards rear, not fluent 2nd, mistake 3 out, headway approaching 2 out, never on terms, 7th of 22, 20l behind Minella Class (11-0) at Newbury 2m mdn hdl (4) gd in Dec.
Fair Rome 100-1 (10-4) Disputed lead until before 8th, weakened quickly, 8th of 10, well behind Our Island (11-0) at Ffos Las 3m mdn hdl (4) gs.
Barbatos (FR) 4-1 (11-2) Took keen hold, with winner, led 3rd until 6th, weakened 2 out, 5th of 12, 17l behind Mic's Delight (11-8) at Leicester 2m 4f NH nov hdl (4-7yo) (4) hvy.
