tracked leaders, not much room when stumbled 2nd, rider did well to stay on, weakened approaching 3 out
led 2nd, clear last, easily
prominent until 5th, behind 7th, pulled up before 3 out
held up, not fluent 1st, jumped big and bumped 5th, headway next, went 2nd 3 out, beaten when mistake last
held up, headway 6th, weakened after 4 out
led until 2nd, prominent, mistake 3 out, soon weakened
prominent early, held up in touch, hit 4th, stumbled next, ridden 7th, went 3rd after 2 out, no impression
None of these have a lot going for them, though Unwanted Gift won by a distance from modest opposition over C&D in May. DANEVA's amateur jockey claims a valuable 7lb and that may be enough to enable Matt Sheppard's mare to get back in the winner's enclosure after her recent third over a longer trip at Ludlow. It's impossible to predict whether Total Victory, Molko Jack or Betty Browneyes will complete while Dr Anubis and Apache Dawn haven't managed a career win over jumps between them in 67 attempts.
Unwanted Gift (IRE) 20-1 (11-12) Held up towards rear, headway after 7th, hung left last, weakened flat, 7th of 17, 20l behind Themanfromfraam (10-10) at Worcester 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-95 (5) gd in May.
Daneva (IRE) 7-1 (11-1) Held up in touch, closed 15th, every chance 3 out, stayed on same pace from next, 3rd of 11, 4l behind Changing Lanes (11-5) at Ludlow 3m am hcp ch 0-95 (5) gd in Oct.
Total Victory (IRE) 50-1 (11-1) Held up, blundered and unseated rider 4th, in a race won by Changing Lanes (11-5) at Ludlow 3m am hcp ch 0-95 (5) gd in Oct, 11 ran.
Molko Jack (FR) 8-1 (11-5) Mid-division, weakened 5th, tailed off and pulled up before 4 out, in a race won by Strobe (10-13) at Bangor 2m 1f hcp 0-100 (5) gd in Jul, 9 ran.
Dr Anubis (IRE) 16-1 (10-0) Led until 1st, led next, mistake 3rd, headed 6th, ridden and rider dropped rein briefly after 9th, weakened 2 out, 6th of 11, 27l behind Topthorn (10-10) at Ludlow 2m hcp chs 0-105 (4) gd in Oct.
Betty Browneyes 50-1 (10-6) Led, headed approaching 10th, losing place when mistake 4 out, pulled up after, in a race won by Another Trump (11-10) at Huntingdon 2m 4f hcp chs 0-105 (4) gd in Oct, 14 ran.
Apache Dawn 6-1 (10-5) Tracked leaders, not fluent 2nd, soon lost place, hit 5th, mistake 8th, behind 10th, some headway 4 out, no impression, well held from next, tailed off, 6th of 9, 43l behind Arctic Echo (11-7) at Worcester 2m 4f hcp chs 0-100 (5) gd in Oct.
