in touch, mistake 10th, ridden 4 out, soon weakened
held up, headway 8th, outpaced 3 out, rallied approaching last, one pace flat
held up, headway 5th, mistake 8th, ridden approaching 3 out, soon weakened
behind from 7th
prominent, hard ridden approaching 2 out, weakened approaching last
led, ridden 3 out, headed approaching last, led again flat, headed and no extra towards finish
behind, hampered 2nd, blundered next, ridden when fell 12th
tracked leaders, lost place when hampered 8th, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out
behind, steady headway 10th, ridden to lead approaching last, headed flat, rallied to lead again towards finsih
mid-division, headway when blundered and unseated rider 8th
A decent hunter chase featuring the first and third home in last season's Christie's Foxhunter Chase with preference over this shorter trip for the Paul Nicholls-trained Torduff Express who finished a length adrift of Last Option at Cheltenham. The selection subsequently went on to win the Martell Fox Hunters' Chase over the National fences at Aintree and, over a similar trip, he may have too much speed for his Festival conqueror. Fiona Needham's mount has failed to reproduce his best form this season although the 11-year-old is probably being aimed at Cheltenham again. Mr Dow Jones, three times a winner in hunter chase company last term, and the 13-year-old Step On Eyre are others to consider along with Epsilo De La Ronce and Master Wood but, if fit enough for his reappearance, this really should go to Polly Gundry's mount.