held up in rear, not fluent 5th, slow next, well beaten after 4 out
in rear, mistake 7th and jockey briefly having tack problems, not much room 4 out, effort 3 out, no impression 2 out, went 3rd last, lost 3rd towards finish
prominent, slow 7th, stayed on one pace from 3 out, went 3rd towards finish
chased leaders, disputing 2nd 7th, unable to trouble winner from 2 out, stayed on
made all, not fluent 7th, stayed on well from 2 out, ridden out
chased leaders, outpaced 3 out, soon weakened
NonRunner
Bushypark has won twice around here and thrives in testing conditions but Niceandeasy is up 3lb for scrambling home at Kelso and is 4lb out of the handicap. OUR SAM‘s hat-trick has been gained by very narrow margins which is why the assessor has only been able to raise him 2lb for his Hexham victory. A four-timer beckons though Ballymagroarty Boy thrived in heavy conditions at Ffos Las and should go close while J‘Ai Froid was winning for the sixth time at Leicester and is another suited by the conditions.
Storm Nelson (IRE) 40-1 (11-5) Mid-division, reminders after 5th, lost position and soon tailed off, pulled up before 9th, at Aintree 3m 1f hcp (2) sft in Nov.
Ballymagroarty Boy (IRE) 13-2 (12-0) Chased leaders, went 2nd from 7th, led 2 out, rider dropped whip flat, stayed on and going away towards finish, won at Ffos Las 3m hcp (4) hvy in Dec beating Balkardy (11-6) by 4 3/4l, 9 ran.
Skandiburg (FR) 40-1 (10-9) Tracked leaders, lost place 7th, pushed along and weakened 3 out, 10th of 12, 35l behind Ed Keeper (10-13) at Newbury 3m hcp (2) gs in Dec.
Our Sam 5-2jfav (11-6) Chased leaders, headway before 2 out, went second approaching last, led flat, kept on, won at Hexham 2m 7f hcp (3) sft in Oct beating Shoeshine Boy (10-8) by 3/4l, 5 ran.
Bushypark (IRE) 14-1 (11-5) Led until 4th, ridden and weakened after 7th, pulled up before 3 out, at Uttoxeter 2m 7f hcp (3) sft in Nov.
Niceandeasy (IRE) 12-1 (11-3) Made all. good jump 3 out, shaken up approaching 2 out, slow jump last and pressed but kept on strongly, won at Kelso 3m 2f hcp (4) sft in Nov beating Guernesey (11-11) by 3/4l, 7 ran.
J'Ai Froid (IRE) 3-1 (11-12) Made all, shaken up after 3 out, ridden next, faced challenge after last, kept on well flat, won at Leicester 2m hcp (4) hvy in Nov beating Harel Du Marais (11-4) by nk, 4 ran.
