tracked leaders until ridden and slightly outpaced 6th, headway approaching 3 out, led next, ridden out flat
in touch, headway 5th, led 3 out, headed but still every chance 2 out, no extra flat
ridden and weakened after 6th
in rear, some headway from 6th, never dangerous
in touch until lost place 6th, weakened soon after next, pulled up before last
ridden and weakened from 7th, well behind when pulled up before 2 out
towards rear, held up, headway approaching 5th, ridden and weakened 3 out
led, headed 3rd, ridden 5th, weakened next, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out
tracked leaders until lost place 5th, ridden and beaten from 3 out
raced keen, led 3rd, ridden and headed approaching 3 out, weakened from next
held up towards rear, mistake 4th, headway approaching 6th, soon ridden and not quicken
held up towards rear, headway approaching 5th, ridden and every chance 2 out, held approaching last
held up towards rear, headway 6th, every chance 2 out, ridden and under pressure when wandered approaching last
ridden 5th, weakening and behind when pulled up before 3 out
This looks like the chance for Chief Cashier to finally get off the mark over hurdles, at the sixth attempt. He went close to a maiden win at Wincanton in November, but was just touched off by Per Amore on that occasion. Next time out at Sandown he looked both exposed and also as if he didn't really handle the testing ground to well, and found last week's Kempton going similarly difficult. However, dropped 2lb for this race, he still looks worth one more chance in a contest that shouldn't take too much winning. King Georges got up close home to win a 16 runner handicap hurdle at Wincanton on Boxing Day, and picks up a 7lb penalty for that. Previously well beaten on heavy ground, and still 4lb out of the handicap here he still has a fair bit to do with the selection, though he should again go well. Winged Hussar is a maiden after seven previous attempts over hurdles, but has run pretty well in better company than this. A reproduction of his soft ground effort at Doncaster a year ago would give him a decent chance, and he is slipping down the weights, so cannot be discounted. Balkirk was a distant third to Anatar on soft ground at Sandown last time. That was admittedly a better race than this is, and a 2lb drop will help, but he still has a bit to prove here. Red Square Man was beaten out of sight when favourite at Hereford last month. He has been dropped 4lb since then, but has to prove both his well being and that he handles cut in the ground so is best watched.
