Verdict

Chief Yeoman looks the pick of the two runners in the race trained by Venetia Williams over recent faller Culcabock having run creditably behind John Forbes on his reappearance at Aintree last month and has to be considered but it is hard to get away from ECHO POINT, who gets the vote. The selection was an easy winner at Sedgefield last month and a 12lb rise for that looks harsh but is perfectly fair and he can follow up. Charlie Egerton's Kruguyrova faces no easy task giving weight away all round on his first start for 623 days, while Ferdy Murphy's King Of Confusion has harshly gone up 18lbs for his win at Kelso last month and may struggle to defy that rise in the weights. Richard Fahey complicates matters by saddling two runners and there is little to choose between his pair Mighty Moon and Dzesmin with marginal preference for the former. Howard Johnson's Percussionist will relish the underfoot conditions but has yet to prove that he stays this far, while Don McCain's Any Given Day has been running consistently well but is probably a shade high in the weights at present. Several of these have chances but there was plenty to like about the way that Echo Point won at Sedgefield and the Nicky Richards-trained gelding can score again.

Formwatch

Echo Point (IRE) 7-1 (11-12) Made all, soon clear, unchallenged, won at Sedgefield 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-130 (3) gd in Nov beating Brackenmoss (10-13) by 9l, 11 ran.

Any Given Day (IRE) 13-8 (11-6) Led, headed approaching 2nd, led after 4 out, blundered 2 out, headed last, one pace, 2nd of 6, 5l behind Pepe Simo (11-8) at Haydock 2m lst nov hdl (4yo+) (1) sft in Nov.

Quickbeam (IRE) 25-1 (11-0) Held up in rear, not fluent 2nd, fell next, in a race won by Le Beau Bai (11-9) at Chepstow 3m hcp chs 0-145 (2) hvy, 14 ran.

Culcabock (IRE) 40-1 (11-0) Mid-division, weakened approaching 2 out, 10th of 15, 27l behind Khyber Kim (11-9) at Cheltenham 2m Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3) (4yo+) (1) sft in Nov.

Chief Yeoman 9-1 (11-9) Tracked leaders, ridden approaching 3 out, weakened approaching last, 4th of 8, 12l behind John Forbes (10-9) at Aintree 2m 4f hcp hdl (2) gs in Nov.

King of Confusion (IRE) 10-3 (11-12) Held up, headway over 3 out, went 2nd approaching last, led over 1f out, soon clear, won at Kelso 2m 6f hcp hdl 0-115 (4) hvy in Nov beating Locked Inthepocket (10-6) by 16l, 8 ran.

Mighty Moon 13-8fav (11-8) Tracked leaders and not fluent, challenged 3 out, weakened from last, 2nd of 14, 10l behind Merrydown (11-8) at Newcastle 2m 4f nh nov hdl (4) gs in Mar.

Fenix (GER) 40-1 (11-12) Towards rear, ridden and struggling after 6th, tailed off, 10th of 12, 42l behind From Dawn To Dusk (10-11) at Cheltenham 2m 5f hcp hdl 0-140 (2) gd in Oct '07.

Percussionist (IRE) 9-2 (11-12) With leaders, led approaching 3 out, driven out, won at Kelso 2m 2f hcp hdl 0-125 (3) hvy in Nov beating Cassius (11-0) by 1 1/4l, 8 ran.

Helens Vision 8-1 (10-12) With leader, led 5 out, headed 2 out, one pace, 3rd of 10, 1l behind Pagan Starprincess (11-6) at Wetherby 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-135 (3) hvy.

Dzesmin (POL) 6-5fav (10-12) Held up in touch, led 3 out, kept on well, won at Wetherby 2m 4f nh nov hdl (4) gs in Nov '08 beating Border Reiver (11-5) by 2l, 14 ran.

Kruguyrova (FR) 5-1 (10-11) Led, hit 6th, headed next, hit 8th, soon driven, weakened approaching 3 out, 5th of 8, 50l behind Tidal Bay (11-4) at Aintree 2m nov chs G1 (1) gd in Apr '08.

Sam Lord 15-2 (10-0) Held up in rear, mistake 5th, headway after 3 out, led after last, headed towards finish, no extra, 2nd of 8, nk behind John Forbes (10-9) at Aintree 2m 4f hcp hdl (2) gs in Nov.