chased leaders, not fluent 10th, lost place 11th, behind 18th, pulled up before 4 out
jumped left at times, led 2nd, headed 11th, mistake 4 out, close up after 2 out, one pace and held in 3rd flat
fell 1st
in rear, jumped right at times, not fluent 2nd, slow 9th, headway 15th, weakened 18th, pulled up before 4 out
prominent when mistake 1st, chased leaders, lost place 7th, headway 13th, led 16th, mistake and headed 4 out, no extra flat
chased leaders, led 11th, mistake 13th, jumped left and mistake 15th, headed next, led 4 out, headed after 2 out, weakened flat
held up in mistake 15th, headway going well 4 out, led after 2 out, nudged out flat, comfortably
towards rear, mistake 2nd, closed on outside 8th, 3 lengths 3rd when fell 4 out
led until 2nd, prominent, not fluent 18th, lost place before 4 out, rallied 2 out, held by winner flat
Marble Moon is 2-2 around here and arrives in peak form. He boasts a decent strike-rate and it would be no surprise to see him complete the hat-trick, though better ground would have been preferable. Bobo Mac has been quite highly tried over fences so far and has slipped to a fair mark but the one to beat may be MIDNIGHT CHILL (NAP), who did well last season and looked set for another successful campaign after a promising reappearance at Exeter. Lord Getaway stays well and soft going is not a problem but Uhlan Bute is starting to look a light of former days and Viens Chercher has gone off the boil again.
Viens Chercher (IRE) 25-1 (11-6) Slow 1st, not fluent 2nd and again slow when in rear 3rd, mistake 10th, behind from next, tailed off 14th, pulled up before 4 out, at Exeter 3m hcp (3) gd in Oct.
Marble Moon (IRE) 5-2fav (10-12) Led, headed and pecked 4 out, led again after 2 out, driven flat, stayed on gamely, won at Ludlow 3m hcp (3) gd in Oct beating Beau Du Brizais (11-12) by 1 1/2l, 5 ran.
Head To The Stars 22-1 (10-12) Not that fluent in rear, mistake 11th, kept on flat, went 3rd towards finish, 3rd of 9, 9 1/2l behind Know The Score (10-11) at Worcester 2m 7f hcp (3) gs in Oct.
Midnight Chill 7-1 (11-1) Mid-division, pushed along briefly 5th, headway approaching 4 out, weakened 2 out, 5th of 10, 16 1/2l behind Golden Sunrise (11-2) at Exeter 3m hcp (3) gd in Oct.
Uhlan Bute (FR) 25-1 (11-10) Prominent, led narrowly 5th, headed 4 out, weakened next, tailed off, 6th of 13, dist behind Petite Power (11-2) at Cheltenham 3m 1f hcp (3) gs in Oct.
Shanroe In Milan (IRE) 10-1 (10-12) Held up in 5th place and keen, closer at 6th, pushed along before 2 out, soon outpaced, plugged on, 3rd of 6, 8l behind Mossy Fen (10-11) at Worcester 2m 7f (4) gs in Oct.
Bobo Mac (IRE) 7-1 (11-6) In touch in mid-division, not fluent 9th, closed before 11th, lost place 13th, effort approaching 4out, no extra 2 out, mistake last, 5th of 11, 19 1/2l behind Billy Bronco (10-10) at Exeter 3m hcp (3) sft in Mar.
Keltus (FR) 8-1 (11-7) Mid-division, closed from 16th, 4th and no extra last, 4th of 12, 12l behind Terry The Fish (11-12) at Wincanton 3m 1f hcp (3) gd in Oct.
Lord Getaway (IRE) 5-1 (10-2) Held up in rear, not fluent 13th, progress 4 out, ridden and outpaced after 3 out, stayed on to take 3rd last strides, 3rd of 10, 10l behind The Caller (10-1) at Sedgefield 3m 5f hcp (2) sft in Oct.
