tracked leaders, jumped right mostly, weakened 3 out
led, ridden 3 out, pecked 2 out, all out, headed close home
held up, headway 12th, ridden 3 out, weakening when hit last
in touch, reminders 2nd, ridden to chase leaders after 4 out, one pace flat
held up, headway after 4 out, hit last, ran on under pressure to lead close home
tracked leader, reminders 10th, weakening when jumped slowly 13th
Self Defense was easily the pick of these over hurdles on the best of his form but the 10-year-old is not as good as he once was and is rather belatedly making the switch to chasing this term so a safer option looks to be Labelthou, with Verasi rated the pick of the remainder. The selection had some decent form over hurdles, has already opened his account over fences, although his only rival fell at halfway, and he is taken to follow up here. Paul Nicholls has his team in really good order at present and his representative Michael Muck should come on for his winning return at Chepstow but needs to. Alan King's Old Benny lacks any chasing experience and may be best watched and of more interest may be Gary Moore's Verasi who had some useful form over hurdles and has already shown ability over fences. Labelthou has solid claims though and he is preferred.
Michael Muck 11-8 (11-4) Tracked leaders, led after 2nd, mistake 2 out, ridden out, won at Chepstow 3m beg chs (4) gs in Oct beating Rimsky (11-4) by 6l, 10 ran.
Labelthou (FR) 1-3fav (10-9) Made all, left alone 10th, won at Ascot 3m nov chs (3) gd in Nov beating Hennessy (11-2) by a , 2 ran.
Niche Market (IRE) 50-1 (10-13) Mid-division, lost touch from 11th and pulled up 4 out in race won by Albertas Run (11-4) at Cheltenham 3m nov chs (2) gd in Nov, 9 ran.
Old Benny 8-1 (10-0) Chased leaders, ridden and lost place 4 out, 7th of 18, 14l behind Millenium Royal (11-12) at Haydock 2m 7f hcp hdl (2) gs in Nov.
Verasi 11-4 (11-0) Tracked leaders, led 4 out, soon ridden, headed when blundered last, kept on flat, 2nd of 7, 1 1/2l behind Lead On (11-0) at Exeter 2m 3f nov chs (2) sft.
What A Scientist (IRE) 16-1 (11-2) Always behind, tailed off when pulled up 2 out in race won by Money Order (11-2) at Bangor 2m 4f beg chs (4) gs in Nov, 12 ran.
Self Defense 10-3 (10-12) Held up, headway 11th, ridden approaching 4 out, switched left approaching last, kept on, 2nd of 5, 3/4l behind Petit Lord (11-8) at Exeter 2m 7f nov chs (3) gf in Nov.
