held up, headway on inside 6th, hard ridden and hanging left before 2 out, one pace
tracked leaders, pulled hard, went 2nd after 6th, ridden to lead narrowly after 2 out, hanging right approaching last, headed flat, regained lead post (no time taken)
prominent, not fluent 5th, weakening when mistake 3 out, tailed off
held up in rear, no chance after 3 out, tailed off
led, not fluent 3rd, headed narrowly after 2 out, edged left and regained lead flat, headed post
prominent, not fluent 5th, lost place 7th, weakened after 3 out, mistake 2 out, hanging badly right approaching last
chased leaders until weakened approaching 3 out
Although selling races are rarely straight-forward, this really should be easy pickings for the 129-rated BUREAUCRAT. The selection is a course winner and Philip Hobbs' gelding should be happier now returned to hurdles. His best form has come on a slightly quicker surface so he wouldn't want much rain but his class should see him through over this longer trip and he can score. Ballabrook steps up in trip and is another who returns to hurdles in order to get a confidence booster, the application of a visor needs to have a miraculous effect on Jetlag, whilst William Weazle starts off at a lowly level on this hurdling debut. Little Firecracker drops in grade, whilst Ruling Reef and Simplyirresistible have been exposed as modest. This would be a huge surprise were Bureaucrat not to prosper.
Ballabrook (IRE) 10-1 (10-11) Prominent, led 9th, blundered 3 out, headed next, ridden and no impression flat, 6th of 12, 18l behind Silver Steel (11-9) at Kelso 2m 1f nov hcp chs 0-100 (4) gd in Oct.
Bureaucrat 11-4fav (10-12) Held up in touch, raced keenly, jumped slowly 9th, weakened before 4 out, well held when fell 2 out, in a race won by Commemoration Day (11-1) at Huntingdon 2m 4f hcp chs 0-135 (3) gf in Oct, 7 ran.
Jetlag (FR) 28-1 (10-9) Led until not fluent 3rd, mistake and lost places 5, weakened after 7th, tailed off when pulled up before 2 out, in a race won by Arkose (10-12) at Huntingdon 2m 4f nh nov hdl (4) gs, 6 ran.
William Weazle 40-1 (10-6) Always towards rear, 10th of 12, 38l behind Valbuena (10-3) at Newton Abbot 2m 1f NH flat (6) gd in Jun.
Little Firecracker 6-1fav (11-9) Tracked leaders, led 3 out, headed approaching 2 out, no chance with winner, 2nd of 14, 15l behind Command Marshal (10-12) at Fontwell 2m 4f cond nov hcp hdl 0-90 (5) gd in Oct.
Ruling Reef 14-1 (11-7) Always in the rear, 14th of 18, well behind Beshairt (11-7) at Chepstow 2m 4f sell hcp hdl 0-90 (5) gd in Apr.
Simplyirresistible (IRE) 66-1 (10-0) Chased leaders, weakened approaching 2 out, 4th of 8, 22l behind Ballygulleen (10-4) at Towcester 2m 5f nov hcp hdl 0-105 (4) gf in Oct.
