led until hit 14th, last before next, not fluent when left 3rd 3 out, chased winner after next, no impression flat
jumped left, tracked leaders, hampered and stumbled 14th, chased winner approaching 4 out until before 3 out, left 2nd again at fance until hung left after 2 out, soon weakened
tracked leader, jumped big and reminder 1st, led 14th, stayed on well
held up in 4th, closed 13th, went close 2nd when hit 3 out and unseated rider
Having finished third in the World Hurdle in 2007 and fourth the following year when he won the Long Distance Hurdle at Aintree, BLAZING BAILEY was a classy individual over timber and he has yet to reproduce a similar level of form over fences but he should still be too good for his rivals today with Dance Island and Bench Warrant looking the pick of them. Winning Irish pointer, Theballyedmondchap, only beat one home on his debut for Evan Williams in a maiden hurdle at Ludlow last month and is probably best watched on his first start over regulation fences. Dance Island won well enough when successful at Warwick last month but he may struggle under his penalty today. Charlie Mann's Bench Warrent also has a penalty to carry having landed a race on testing ground at Market Rasen in November and he has not been disgraced in two starts since then under a penalty. Alan King's Blazing Bailey is not as good over fences as he was over hurdles but he has run well enough to suggest that he should be more than capable of taking this, especially receiving weight from his main rivals.
Bench Warrent (IRE) 9-1 (11-8) Led, ridden and headed 14th, chased winner until 3 out, soon outpaced, last of 3, 13l behind Burton Port (11-5) at Lingfield 3m nov chs Grade 2 4yo+ (1) hvy in Dec.
Dance Island (IRE) 16-1 (10-12) Tracked leaders, went 2nd 11th until after 13th, 2nd again 16th, led approaching 2 out, clear when mistake last, ridden out (no time taken), won at Warwick 3m 2f nov stks (3) gs in Feb beating Flight Leader (10-12) by 4l, 4 ran.
Blazing Bailey 15-8 (10-12) With leader, led 5th, not fluent 8th, headed 13th, ridden after 4 out, soon weakened, 3rd of 5, 17l behind Burton Port (11-8) at Southwell 3m nov chs (3) sft in Feb.
Theballyedmondchap (IRE) 100-1 (11-4) Mid-division, jumped slowly 6th, soon lost place, weakened 8th, tailed off, 15th of 16, well behind Benartic (11-4) at Ludlow 2m 5f mdn hdl (4) gs in Feb.
