held up, headway after 5th, ridden and weakened approaching 2 out
held up, headway approaching 3 out, kept on from next
chased leaders, behind from 4th, soon tailed off, pulled up next
held up, weakened approaching 6th, tailed off from 3 out
held up mid-division, soon chasing leaders, went 2nd going to 2 out, kept on
chased leaders, mistake 7th, soon ridden and weakened
led to 1st, chased leaders until weakened approaching 3 out
soon mid-division, chased leaders 4 out, ridden and weakened approaching 2 out
held up, weakened approaching 7th, pulled up next
mid-division, headway approaching 3 out, ridden approaching 2 out, kept on
led from 1st, made rest, driven out
close up, weakened from 4 out, tailed off
in touch, ridden approaching 3 out, weakened approaching next, tailed off
KILSHANNIG put up a decent effort to win last time and is taken to follow up here, with Milton Des Bieffes and Saddlers Mot among the dangers. The Jonjo O'Neill-trained selection was a good ground scorer at Southwell over 2m 5f last time out and a stable who were in cracking form when we last saw turf racing. A 4lb rise will ask further questions of this inconsistent sort, but hopefully buoyed by that success and continuing over this trip he will be able to repeat the dose. Milton Des Bieffes resumes hurdling from a mark 16lbs lower than his chasing pitch. He acts well with cut in the ground and may be fancied by many given that he is apparently well handicapped, although he was beaten over hurdles from a mark of 77 last time we saw him in this sphere and still has it to do. Saddlers Mot is 5lbs higher than when runner-up over a similar trip at Leicester last time and although that was a selling handicap it was similar to this. That was her first real showing of form and if she can build on it then she will be very competitive. Connections of Meet Me At Dawn have traded the visor for cheek pieces this time and she will have to improve for that, especially now dropped back a fair bit in trip. Jades Double represents a yard going well and has his first start for Chris Gordon. She won a chase from a higher mark when with Jim Best, so has the ability, and a market check is strongly advised, though we will just side with Kilshannig.
Kilshannig (IRE) 5-4fav (11-12) Tracked leaders in 3rd, took closer order 7th, ridden to lead last, kept on well, won at Southwell 2m 4f 4yo hcp hdl 0-90 (5) gd in Dec beating She Is A Cracker (11-9) by 2 1/2l, 5 ran.
Hampton Court 12-1 (11-2) Held up, headway to chase leaders when fell 3 out, in a race won by King Stanley (11-12) at Hereford 3m 2f hcp hdl 0-100 (4) sft in Dec, 18 ran.
Sleep Talk (USA) 150-1 (10-12) Led, headed approaching 5th, weakened approaching 3 out, 8th of 10, well behind Possol (11-4) at Doncaster 3m nh nov hdl (4) gd in Dec.
Cash Calculator (IRE) 66-1 (10-12) Held up in rear, weakened 3 out, 11th of 13, well behind Bangkok Pete (10-12) at Fontwell 2m 4f nh nov hdl (4) sft in Dec.
Saddlers Mot 8-1 (10-9) Mid-division, mistake 4th, soon lost place, rallied approaching 3 out, went 2nd before last, stayed on, 2nd of 14, 1l behind Sovereign Spirit (11-3) at Leicester 2m 4f sell hcp hdl 0-90 (5) gf in Dec.
Jades Double 14-1 (11-3) Prominent until 4th, behind 6th, pulled up before 8th, in a race won by Prince Zafonic (11-12) at Exeter 2m 5f hcp hdl 0-100 (4) gf in Apr, 8 ran.
Mycenean Prince (USA) 50-1 (11-0) Chased leaders to 3rd, pushed along 4th, soon hanging right and ridden, no chance after 7th, last of 10, well behind Canni Thinkaar (10-3) at Huntingdon 2m 5f hcp hdl 0-95 (5) gd in Nov.
Elegant Olive 100-1 (10-10) Held up towards rear, weakened approaching 2 out, 8th of 15, 26l behind Asturienne (10-10) at Towcester 2m mrs nov hdl (4) gd in Oct.
Utern 50-1 (10-5) Tracked leaders, weakened 3 out, 8th of 11, 40l behind Zazamix (10-12) at Bangor 2m 1f nov hdl (4) sft in Dec.
Sir Punjabi 100-1 (10-12) Mid-division, took keen hold, jumped left and not fluent 3rd, weakened after 5th, hit 2 out, tailed off, 8th of 10, well behind Sereth (10-12) at Huntingdon 2m nh nov hdl (4) gd in Nov.
Meet Me At Dawn 11-2 (9-13) Led, not fluent 3rd, driven and headed approaching last, no extra, 4th of 7, 21l behind Natural Action (12-0) at Folkestone 2m 6f hcp hdl 0-105 (4) hvy in Nov.
Monsieur Georges (FR) 20-1 (9-13) Led until after 2nd, remained prominent, weakened 2 out, 4th of 12, 18l behind Thirtythreeblack (10-5) at Uttoxeter 3m hcp hdl 0-95 (5) gs in Jul.
Nightboat To Cairo (IRE) 66-1 (10-8) Tracked leaders, ridden and weakened from 2 out, 8th of 9, 21l behind Sacrilege (11-12) at Leicester 2m sll hdl (5) gd in Nov.
Milton Des Bieffes (FR) 5-1 (10-10) Led, ridden after 4 out, headed when not fluent 2 out, stayed on same pace, 2nd of 7, 3 1/2l behind Western Whisky (10-7) at Ludlow 3m hcp chs 0-125 (3) sft in Dec.
