chased leaders, losing touch and lost 3rd 8th, well beaten 4th when mistake 3 out
chased winner, pushed along before 4 out, no impression from next, kept on
held up in last, not fluent 7th, went 3rd but well behind front pair from 8th, plugged on
made all, shaken up after 2 out, comfortably
Winning hurdler TOMMY SILVER made a promising start over fences when beaten only neck at Worcester last week. Paul Nicholls’ charge can put that experience to good use and get the better of main rival Cultivator. The latter has a similar rating to the selection over hurdles but didn’t get very far before being pulled-up at Cheltenham on last month’s chasing bow. Boston Blue was second at Towcester back in May but has a tough task on these terms while Ocean Bentley is even harder to fancy on his first start over fences having failed to win in 29 combined starts on the Flat and over timber.
Boston Blue 8-1 (11-2) With leader, mistake 4th, chased winner from 2 out, no impression, 2nd of 5, 28l behind Newton Geronimo (11-2) at Towcester 2m (4) gf in May.
Cultivator 4-1 (11-3) Held up in rear, went right 8th, not fluent 10th and next, pulled up before 4 out, at Cheltenham 2m 4f (2) gd in Oct.
Ocean Bentley (IRE) 16-1 (10-12) Mid-division, headway 2 out, soon outpaced, left 4th just after last, no impression, 4th of 9, 7 1/2l behind Royal Beekeeper (10-12) at Stratford 2m 3f (5) gd in Nov.
Tommy Silver (FR) 4-6fav (11-1) Tracked leader, ridden 4 out, switched left flat, stayed on towards finish, just held, 2nd of 5, nk behind Optimus Prime (11-1) at Worcester 2m (3) gs in Nov.
