held up in last pair, not fluent 12th, closed on leaders going well enough after 15th, weakened and jumped left 2 out
led, ridden 13th, headed next, outpaced and lost place 15th, kept on under pressure from 3 out
held up in last pair, steady headway to track leading pair 15th, led last, ridden clear run-in
tracked leading pair, blundered 2nd, went 2nd 12th, led 14th, headed and not quicken last
keen, held up in 4th, went 2nd before 15th, upsides and went left from 3 out, weakened 2 out
chased leaders to 12th, ridden and weakened quickly 15th, tailed off
Le Passing looks to be getting the hang of things over fences and is taken to resume winning ways at the main expense of Distant Thunder and Persian Waters. The selection was useful over hurdles last season but the French import was always likely to be seen to better effect once put over the larger obstacles and fulfilled earlier promise when opening his account at Chepstow in December. The Paul Nicholls-trained gelding followed up at Uttoxeter the following month before losing no caste in defeat when chasing home Henrietta Knight's improving El Vaquero at Sandown last time. The six-year-old should have no problems with either the trip or going and is taken to go one better today. Persian Waters looked a natural over fences when making a winning chase debut at Huntingdon in November but has failed to progress since then and is probably best passed over today. Dungarvans Choice is probably better than he showed last time as the Henderson horses were out of form then but he needs to improve to trouble the selection and of more interest may be Robert Alner's Distant Thunder, who made the most of the weight that he received from his main rivals when successful at Newbury last week. This will be tougher for him under a penalty though, as it will for Brave Spirit, who returns to novice-company after a successful spell in handicaps. Hazeljack does not look good enough and this may be best left to the selection Le Passing.
Brave Spirit (FR) 7-2 Chased leader, led 8th, quickened 13th, ridden approaching 4 out, mistake 2 out, headed approaching last, kept on flat, 2nd of 7, 3l behind Headliner at Exeter 3m 1f hcp chs 0-125 (D) gs.
Persian Waters (IRE) 6-4fav Led to 13th, stayed pressing winner until ridden and outpaced approaching 3 out, no impression after, 3rd of 6, 6l behind Tribal Venture at Kempton 3m nov chs (C) gd in Jan.
Dungarvans Choice (IRE) 5-2 In touch, headway 6th, ridden when fell 3 out in race won by Almaydan at Warwick 2m nov chs (C) sft in Dec, 7 ran.
Hazeljack 11-4fav Prominent, mistake and lost place from 13th, tailed off when pulled up 2 out in race won by Kittenkat at Folkestone 3m 1f hcp chs 0-110 (E) gs in Jan, 9 ran.
