FIENDISH FLAME jumped like an old pro when winning on his chasing debut last time out at Carlisle and looks to have been found a reasonable opportunity to follow up here under a penalty ahead of Leamington Lad and Drever Route. Donald McCain's improving five-year-old showed decent form over hurdles but looks set to make an even better chaser judging by his comfortable twelve length victory over a slightly shorter trip back in October. That race was equally as competitive as this one on paper with the well regarded Songe back in fourth adding a solid look to the form and with the yard going well Jason Maguire's mount can show these the way home. Leamington Lad was rated as being of similar ability to the selection over hurdles having run some cracking races throughout a busy season but he had looked less than natural over fences before scoring readily enough at Ludlow last time. That confidence-booster may well enable the horse to progress further but on paper our selection looks the stronger of the two penalised runners. A bigger danger to the likely favourite may come from Howard Johnson's chasing debutant Drever Route. The well-related gelding disappointed on several occasions last season after a very promising hurdle debut when scoring ahead of the above-average Alfie Flits, but perhaps a summer off will have done the six-year-old the world of good and if taking to fences the horse remains one of some potential. Ferdy Murphy's Ockey De Neulliac was comprehensively beaten by the selection when both made their chasing debuts but with the stables horses going better now he can perhaps narrow the gap with a 6lb pull in the weights to help but it will take some effort for Graham Lee's mount to reverse that form and so we return to Fiendish Flame to make it two from two over fences.
Fiendish Flame (IRE) 11-4 (11-2) Made all, soon clear, unchallenged, won at Carlisle 2m noc chs (3) gd in Oct beating Doeslessthanme (11-2) by 12l, 10 ran.
Leamington Lad (IRE) 15-2 (11-2) Led, jumped right and bumped 2nd, headed next, mostly chased leader to 8th, reminder after next, 2nd again before 4 out, challenged 3 out, led 2 out, driven clear after last, won at Ludlow 2m beg chs (4) gd in Oct beating Unforgettable (10-11) by 7l, 4 ran.
Drever Route (IRE) 16-1 (11-5) Tracked leaders, ridden, weakened quickly 2 out, soon beaten, 4th of 9, 49l behind Frontier Dancer (11-5) at Perth 2m nh nov hdl (4) gd in Apr.
Ockey De Neulliac (FR) 16-1 (11-2) Held up, ridden 5 out, never on terms, 5th of 10, 33l behind Fiendish Flame (11-2) at Carlisle 2m noc chs (3) gd in Oct.
Tartan Snow 25-1 (11-1) Behind, reminders 5th, outpaced 4 out, tailed off when pulled up before next, in a race won by South O'The Border (10-11) at Perth 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-140 (2) gd in Apr, 10 ran.
Allegedly Red 200-1 (10-2) Always in rear, detached from 4th, tailed off when pulled up before 4 out, in a race won by Fiendish Flame (11-2) at Carlisle 2m noc chs (3) gd in Oct, 10 ran.
