made all, in command before 2 out, soon clear, eased run-in
jumped right and mistakes, chased clear leading pair, well outpaced before 7th, soon tailed off
pressed winner until 3 out, soon driven, no chance before next, well beaten when hit last
always last, lost touch 7th, soon well tailed off
Disappointingly just five runners face the starter here with Red Georgie taken to follow up his recent Wetherby success at the main expense of Idle Talk and Theatre. The last mentioned was an unlucky loser here in Decemeber when holding a three-length lead before falling at the final flight. Jamie Poulton's gelding comes here after a respectable second in a handicap on the flat here on Wednesday and rates a big danger to the selection in receipt of 6lbs. Noel Chance's Southwestern is bred for this game being by Roselier but has given little sign for encouragement in point-to-points of late and of more interest is Idle Talk. A good winner over a similar trip to today's on his debut at Chepstow in October, Tom George's gelding lost no caste in defeat behind the useful Brewster at Cheltenham subsequently and remains unexposed. Red Georgie has done little wrong though and is preferred. The Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained gelding won his first two starts in bumpers and lost no caste in defeat on his hurdling debut behind Mount Clerigo at Uttoxeter. Pulled up on his next start at Wetherby when stepped up to three miles for the first time, the seven-year-old showed that was not his true running when scoring at the same venue on his most recent outing and a reproduction of that effort may suffice.
Southwestern (IRE) 12-1 unseated rider in race won by Son of Flighty at Heythrop 2m 4f ptp gd in Jan, 11 ran.
Theatre (USA) 33-1 Always behind, hit 4th, struggling 4 out, 5th of 8, 33l behind Brewster at Newbury 2m 5f nov hdl Grd 1 (A) gs in Dec.
The Dancing Phounz 50-1 Always towards rear, 10th of 12, well behind Corals Laurel at Warwick 2m nhf (H) hvy in Dec.