slight lead when crumpled on landing and fell 2nd
with leader when left in lead 2nd, headed 7th, chased winner, dropped to 3rd when blundered and weakened 3 out, tailed off
left 3rd at 2nd, went 2nd and blundered 3 out, trying to close and 2 lengths down when went right last, stayed on same pace and no impression flat
left 2nd and slightly hampered 2nd, joined leader 5th, went left next, led 7th, clear 3 out, ridden out and kept on well flat
ROBIN DE CREUSE is the best of these over hurdles and he made a promising start to his chasing career when third in a handicap at Exeter. He comes out best at the weights here and with Philip Hobbs' yard hitting top form, he's fancied to land this. Silver Roque should make a race of it as he finished runner-up at Towcester last month and there should be more tome from him, but the rest have plenty to find with the two principals with possibly Paddy The Yank the best of them.
Big Bertie (IRE) 14-1 (10-11) Mid-division, hit 1st, bad mistake 4th, behind 6th, tailed off, last of 9, well behind Free Speech (11-7) at Folkestone 2m nov hcp chs 0-95 (5) sft in Dec.
Paddy The Yank (IRE) 9-1 (9-13) Prominent, led 4th, headed 9th, remained prominent, weakening when blundered last, 7th of 10, 13l behind Ballyman (10-0) at Plumpton 2m 4f hcp 0-100 (5) sft in Dec.
Robin De Creuse (FR) 11-4fav (11-3) Chased leaders, headway on inside approaching ommited 4 out, went 2nd next, driven 2 out, lost 2nd before last, kept on same pace flat, 3rd of 7, 6l behind Renard (11-12) at Exeter 2m 1f hcp chs 0-125 (3) gs in Nov.
Silver Roque (FR) 15-8fav (11-7) Held up in touch, headway 9th, led after 3 out, came towards stands side and headed next, soon ridden, kept on same pace, no impression flat, 2nd of 8, 7l behind Circus Of Dreams (11-12) at Towcester 2m 3f hcp chs 0-110 (4) gs in Dec.
The Black Baron (IRE) 28-1 (11-8) Tracked leaders, mistake 7th, weakened well before 3 out, pulled up approaching 2 out, in a race won by Thehillofuisneach (11-6) at Uttoxeter 3m hcp hdl 0-115 (4) sft in Dec, 16 ran.
