tracked leaders, ridden and weakened 4 out, moderate 4th
tracked leaders, mistake 12th, outpaced 4 out, headway after next, led last, headed and no extra closing stages
held up in touch, mistake 11th, under pressure 5 out, soon weakened
led, strongly challenged after 3 out, blundered last, soon headed, rallied to lead again towards finish
with leader, hard driven to challenge 3 out, weakened before last
Run To Fly has a penalty for last week's victory at Plumpton, but went close off a higher mark last year and should make a bold bid to follow up. Preference, however, is for KILVERGAN BOY as he showed better form when winning at Cartmel in August and handles today's quick ground. Witch's Hat and Lambro River were both placed over fences earlier this year and are making their seasonal debuts, but Just Playfull is hard to fancy having failed to complete on his last two outings.
Witch's Hat (IRE) 15-2 (11-9) Always in rear, under pressure 10th, behind when pulled up before 5 out, in a race won by Our Columbus (11-6) at Chepstow 3m hcp chs 0-95 (5) gs in Apr, 14 ran.
Kilvergan Boy (IRE) 4-1fav (11-10) Tracked clear leaders, mistake 10th, blundered 13th, stayed on to go moderate 2nd, no chance with winner, 2nd of 10, 21l behind Bounds And Leaps (11-10) at Chepstow 3m cnd hcp chs (0-95) (5) gd in Oct.
Lambro River (IRE) 50-1 (10-12) Towards rear, mistakes and sometimes went left, headway after 11th, every chance just before 3 out, no extra flat, 3rd of 12, 10l behind Tuskar Rock (11-7) at Kempton 3m hcp chs 0-100 (4) gd in Mar.
Run To Fly (IRE) 15-8fav (10-7) Led, not fluent 12th, ridden after 3 out, not fluent last, soon headed, quickly led again, stayed on, won at Plumpton 3m 2f nov hcp chs 0-95 (5) gd in Oct beating Kaycee (11-2) by 1 1/4l, 5 ran.
Just Playfull 28-1 (9-13) Chased leaders, ridden before when slow and lost place 7th, tailed off and pulled up before 4 out, in a race won by Manadam (10-1) at Ffos Las 3m cnd hcp hdl 0-95 (5) gd in Oct, 11 ran.