held up in rear, not fluent 2nd, headway travelling well approaching 3 out, tracked leading pair 2 out, driven to chase winner before last, no impression flat and lost 2nd near finish
jumped left at some fences, held up in close 5th, headway to track leading pair 8th, chased winner 3 out, chance when jumped left 2 out, soon lost 2nd, rallied to regain 2nd near finish
chased winner until 5th, weakened 8th, tailed off
made all, ridden and hit last, kept on gamely flat
close 4th until ridden and mistake 7th, struggling after, tailed off
held up, dropped to last 5th, struggling after, tailed off when refused last
tracked leading pair, chased winner 5th until ridden and lost 2nd 3 out, weakened soon after
DOMINICAN MONK is the selection with Ouste and Huguenot as the dangers. David Arbuthnot has had a couple of winners during the last week and while his ten-year-old was a late starter to fencing, he jumped proficiently at Sandown and appears to have been found a similarly weak task today. Ouste did not disgrace himself behind Fix The Rib and Free World when he met that pairing at this track last month. That said, he did not exactly threaten to win on that occasion. Huguenot is in receipt of all the allowances and a look at his form suggests that Phillip Hobbs was waiting for better ground before coming back to the racetrack. Rapid Increase is something of an unknown quantity on ground as lively as today. Quillan Hill crashed out at Taunton although his relatively quick reappearance suggests that he has felt no ill effects. The remainder appear held on recent form. Dominican Monk looks the safest option on balance.
Ouste (FR) 20-1 (9-12) Held up last, ridden after 4 out, stayed on to go 3rd last, never troubled leading pair, 3rd of 4, 18l behind Fix The Rib (10-5) at Kempton 2m nov hcp chs (2) gd in Feb.
Dominican Monk (IRE) 11-2 (11-2) Took keen hold early, held up, headway to track leaders 5th, quickened to challenge 2 out, soon led, went right last, easily, won at Sandown 2m hcp chs 0-125 (3) gd beating Royal Wedding (10-12) by 8l, 6 ran.
Quillan Hill 5-2co-fav (11-0) Led until ran out at the 3rd in race won by Raysrock (10-9) at Taunton 2m beg chs (4) sft, 5 ran.
Green Gamble 4-1 (10-4) In touch, pushed along 5th, mistake 6th, not fluent next, soon weakened, last of 6, well behind Laoch Dubh (11-6) at Huntingdon 2m hcp chs 0-130 (3) gs in Nov.
Rapid Increase (IRE) 9-1 (11-2) Behind until fell at the 2nd in race won by Russian Flag (11-5) at Plumpton 2m 1f hcp chs 0-110 (4) gs, 8 ran.
Kerriemuir Lass (IRE) 18-1 (10-5) Held up, losing touch when hit 9th, 5th of 7, 26l behind Pop (11-4) at Hereford 2m 3f nov chs (3) gs in Feb.
Huguenot (IRE) 7-2fav (11-3) Mid-division, headway after 3 out, hit next, soon ridden, stayed on, 5th of 18, 4 1/2l behind Kilmeena Magic (10-9) at Kempton 2m cnd nov hcp hdl (4) gd in Nov.
