held up, jumped left 7th, headway next, pushed along briefly after 11th, went 3rd before 4 out, jumped left 3 out, still 5 lengths down last, ran on under pressure flat to lead near finish
held up in rear, jumped left 3rd, short-lived effort after 13th, no danger when jumped left 4 out
prominent, ridden 13th, weakened approaching 4 out
held up, headway 11th, challenged from 13th, upsides 4 out to 2 out, stayed on flat
tracked leaders, led after 13th, ridden from 2 out, headed near finish
prominent, led 8th, hit 13th, soon headed, weakened after 4 out, hanging right after last
led to 8th, remained prominent, ridden 13th, weakened approaching 4 out
held up in rear, bumped 5th, hit next, mistake 12th, lost touch after next, blundered 3 out
chased leaders, lost place after 9th (water), behind when mistake next
BLACK HILLS looks attractively handicapped and is preferred here to course and distance winner Supreme Duke and the Colin Tizzard pair of Bring Me Sunshine and Sou'Wester. Jonathon Geake's ten-year-old is now rated 125, a mark which looks lenient having won off a mark of 135 in 2007. He acts on any ground, ran well in defeat behind Kew Jumper last time and is taken to get back to winning ways. Kilrogan won well just a week ago at Taunton when the ground was rattling quick. That was a good performance on his return to the track and he has claims, although a 7lb penalty takes him to a career high mark. Dev is a useful performer on his day but he was almost pulled up behind Black Hills at Kempton and his best form has come over the minimum trip. Of more interest may be Supreme Duke who won here on his penultimate start. He was very fluent on that occasion but his jumping next time wasn't as foot-perfect and off this mark of 126 the feeling is that there is little room for jumping errors. Fier Normand was pulled up at Cheltenham in the Festival Plate but this is obviously a big drop in class and quick ground on a sharp right-handed track seems to play to his strengths. Prestbury Knight needs watching in the betting on this return to the track, whilst Bring Me Sunshine appeals of the Tizzard pair as he was well-backed last time before unseating his inexperienced jockey. A tricky race to fathom for punters but Black Hills can come home first.
Fier Normand (FR) 25-1 (10-7) Always behind, tailed off and pulled up before 12th, in a race won by Something Wells (10-7) at Cheltenham 2m 5f hcp chs G3 (1) gs in Mar, 23 ran.
Bring Me Sunshine (IRE) 10-3 (11-7) Close 4th until unseated rider 4th, in a race won by Kilrogan (11-2) at Taunton 2m 3f hcp chs 0-130 (3) fm, 4 ran.
Kilrogan (IRE) 6-1 (11-2) Tended to jump left, led, narrowly headed 8th to next, hit 10th, in command after 3 out, easily, won at Taunton 2m 3f hcp chs 0-130 (3) fm beating Smoke Trail (10-0) by 10l, 4 ran.
Supreme Duke (IRE) 7-4fav (11-4) Tracked leading pair, 2nd 3 out, ridden 2 out, weakened last, 3rd of 4, 5l behind Tarotino (11-4) at Kempton 2m 4f nov chs (3) gd in Mar.
Sou'wester 16-1 (11-12) In touch, ridden and weakened after 4 out, 4th of 7, 14l behind Kew Jumper (10-12) at Kempton 2m 4f hcp chs 0-130 (3) gd in Mar.
Black Hills 8-1 (11-8) Tracked leader, ridden and outpaced 3 out, stayed on again flat, 3rd of 7, 1 1/2l behind Kew Jumper (10-12) at Kempton 2m 4f hcp chs 0-130 (3) gd in Mar.
Dev (IRE) 5-1 (11-10) Held up, hit 11th, never dangerous, 6th of 7, 50l behind Kew Jumper (10-12) at Kempton 2m 4f hcp chs 0-130 (3) gd in Mar.
Prestbury Knight 14-1 (9-9) Chased leader, led 7th until not fluent 9th, soon ridden, weakened 2 out, 5th of 9, 30l behind Sonnyanjoe (10-0) at Cheltenham 3m 1f Listed hcp hdl (1) gd in Nov '07.
Tyup Pompey (IRE) 25-1 (11-0) Always in rear, 8th of 10, 40l behind Aheadofhistime (10-6) at Chepstow 2m hcp chs 0-115 (4) gd.
