raced keenly, led, joined 2 out, headed last, no impression final 75 yards
tracked leaders on inside, not fluent 7th, soon lost place, well beaten 3 out, soon pulled up
held up in rear, effort from 3 out, 3rd and driven after next, stayed on well flat
tracked leader until before 3 out, one pace next, stayed on final 100 yards
held up in rear, mistake 6th, no impression 3 out, well beaten next
tracked leaders, went 2nd before 3 out, challenging when not fluent 2 out, led and not fluent last, stayed on well and asserted final 75 yards
tracked leaders on outside, not fluent 5th, weakened last
DANSE IDOL improved on useful bumper form when tackling hurdles for the first time at Wincanton. She was value for more than the official winning margin ahead of the highly-regarded second. Shantung beat Thursday’s Exeter winner Evidence De Thaix by 12 lengths at Lingfield so shouldn’t be ignored and Queenohearts may well have won at Chepstow last month had she jumped better up the home straight. Indefatigable and Papagana both won last time but would requite further improvement to follow up in this grade and the others have even more to find.
Danse Idol (IRE) 13-8fav (10-12) Prominent, led 5th, hit 4 out, challenged next, stayed on well, won at Wincanton 2m 5f mdn (4) gd in Dec beating Printing Dollars (10-12) by 3 1/2l, 11 ran.
Meep Meep (IRE) 9-4cfav (10-12) Chased leader until 4 out, soon ridden, outpaced before 2 out, weakened before last, 5th of 16, 17 1/4l behind The Big Bite (11-5) at Chepstow 2m mdn (4) gs in Nov.
Off The Hook (IRE) 5-1 (10-12) Tracked leader, challenged 2 out (usual 4 out), led narrowly after last (usual 3 out), headed inside final 2f, soon ridden, kept on and every chance final furlong, just held, 2nd of 11, 1/2l behind Peters Cousin (10-12) at Kelso 2m 5f (4) gs in Dec.
Papagana 11-2 (11-6) Tracked leaders, driven to challenge 2 out, led soon after last, stayed on strongly, won at Sandown 2m 4f hcp (3) hvy in Dec beating Jubilympics (11-11) by 2 3/4l, 9 ran.
Poperinghe Ginger (IRE) 50-1 (11-0) Towards rear of mid-division, headway on outside 4f out, kept on final 2f, 7th of 14, 13 3/4l behind The Glancing Queen (11-0) at Cheltenham 2m lst (1) gd in Nov.
Queenohearts (IRE) 11-4 (10-7) Mid-division, headway 5 out, challenging when mistake next, every chance when not fluent last, kept on well under pressure, 2nd of 14, 1 1/2l behind Deise Aba (11-0) at Chepstow 2m 3f mdn (5) sft in Nov.
Shantung (IRE) 13-2 (10-12) Held up in mid-division, headway on outside tracking leaders 6th, led before 4 out, clear before 2 out, kept on strongly, very easily, won at Lingfield 2m 3f mdn (4) gs in Nov beating Evidence De Thaix (10-12) by 12l, 9 ran.
Indefatigable (IRE) 5-4fav (10-10) Tracked leader, led 6th, clear before 2 out, easily, won at Uttoxeter 2m (4) gs in Nov beating Pardon Me (10-10) by 15l, 11 ran.
