made most until 3 out, led again 2 out, left in command by rivals mistake last, driven out
held up in rear, fell 2nd
mid-division, off the pace 2nd, went 3rd after 2 out, no chance with front pair
prominent, dropped off front pair before 3rd, not fluent 2 out, soon 4th and well held
prominent, slow 2nd, led 3 out, headed next, still pressing winner when mistake last, held after
towards rear, behind 3rd
mid-division, off the pace 2nd, mistake 3 out, well beaten next
NonRunner
Song Of The Hunter missed an engagement at Exeter yesterday having fallen over track and trip before that when in the lead and still going well. Cawthorne Lad finished a decent second in the latter race and is not out of this while Winds Of Fire drops back down in distance after scoring over 2m4f at Sedgefield. Endlessly was still well beaten when third over a longer trip here though drops down in class today while bumper winner THE MICK PESTON makes his handicap debut over hurdles. His second to Annual Invictus at Lingfield has worked out well with the latter subsequently landing a hat-trick and Nigel Twiston-Davies’ charge gets the vote.
The Mick Preston (IRE) 13-8 (10-12) Chased leaders, headway after 3 out, ridden before 2 out, went 2nd before last, kept on, 2nd of 10, 6l behind Annual Invictus (10-12) at Lingfield 2m (4) hvy in Nov.
Endlessly (IRE) 15-2 (10-9) Settled towards rear, headway into third 3 out, mistake next, stayed on at one pace, 3rd of 7, 13 1/4l behind Dans Le Vent (11-3) at Hereford 2m 4f hcp (2) sft in Dec.
Song Of The Hunter (FR) 11-2 (11-6) Led 1st, tracked leader, led again 4 out, 2 lengths clear when crumpled on landing and fell 2 out, at Hereford 2m hcp (4) hvy in Dec.
Cawthorne Lad 10-1 (11-5) Led soon after 1st, headed 4 out, tracked leader, left in lead 2 out, ridden and headed before next, stayed on flat, 2nd of 8, 1 3/4l behind Demopolis (10-11) at Hereford 2m hcp (4) hvy in Dec.
Winds Of Fire (USA) 13-8fav (11-0) Made virtually all, mistake 3 out, ridden between last 2, 1 length ahead when good jump to assert last, pushed out run-in, won at Sedgefield 2m 4f hcp (4) sft in Dec beating Hart Of Steel (11-10) by 1 1/4l, 5 ran.
Rootless Tree (IRE) 33-1 (11-4) Always in rear, tailed off, 6th of 8, dist behind Demopolis (10-11) at Hereford 2m hcp (4) hvy in Dec.
Jaunty Viking 25-1 (10-13) Tracked leaders, close up after the 5th, weakened after 3 out, 6th of 11, 34 3/4l behind Broken Quest (11-8) at Ludlow 2m 5f hcp (4) sft in Dec.
Zamani (GER) 66-1 (10-6) Chased leaders on inside, lost a few places 3 out, hampered last, kept on, no impression, 6th of 16, 10 1/4l behind Breffniboy (10-12) at Cheltenham 2m 1f hcp (3) sft in Dec.
