tracked leaders, not fluent 6th, went 2nd 8th, not fluent 15th, led 2 out, ran on well
jumped left, chased leader until mistake 8th, weakened after last
led, ridden and headed 2 out, no extra flat
held up, mistake 13th, headway approaching 4 out, went 3rd last, weakened flat
tracked leaders, slightly hampered 1st, guessed at 11th (water), soon dropped to rear, no chance when hit 15th, tailed off
in rear, not always fluent, mistake 13th, still at back of group, in touch when slightly hampered on bend before 4 out, soon beaten, mistake last
held up in rear, bad mistake 1st, mistake 9th, headway 14th, lost place when hit 4 out, soon eased
not fluent, took good hold in mid-division, pecked 7th, headway 12th, ridden 4 out, weakened approaching last
A competitive handicap chase where WINSLEY HILL is suggested to defy top weight and have the measure of Foxesbow and Marked Man. The last-named has been a grand servant to Richard Lee and in spite of his advancing years he can still be a major player here. He stays three miles well nowadays, acts on fast ground and it is just his current mark that looks a little too high for him to win again today. Foxesbow will be popular after a win last time, and represents the McManus-O'Neill-McCoy combo. He has few miles on the clock, aged just five, and is 9lbs higher than a Ffos Las win last time, meaning he will need to improve and also show he can handle faster ground to score here. Orfeo Conti won a 2m 6f Southwell handicap chase a couple of starts ago and is just 1lb higher here, so with conditions to suit he can't be ruled out, and the same can be said of fast-ground lover Dream Falcon, who is not far above his latest winning mark and stays well. Even so, we are going to side with Winsley Hill. Neil Mulholland has his string in good order, and this mare has plenty of stamina and does all of her best work on fast ground. She too is high enough in the weights, and we are prepared to forgive her that last run and take her to come back to winning ways.
Winsley Hill 8-1 (11-3) Prominent, blundered 9th, not fluent 11th, mistake 3 out, weakening when mistake 2 out, pulled up before last, in a race won by War Of The World (11-12) at Stratford 2m 7f hcp chs 0-125 (3) gf in Sep, 15 ran.
Dream Falcon 13-2 (11-4) Slow jump 1st, never travelling in rear, jumped left from 6th, no chance from 8th, tailed off, last of 5, well behind Bollitree Bob (10-8) at Newton Abbot 2m hcp chs 0-115 (4) gd in May.
Orfeo Conti (FR) 8-1 (11-7) Chased leader until after 3rd, lost place 8th, soon weakened, 5th of 6, 38l behind Celtic Boy (11-12) at Uttoxeter 2m 4f hcp chs 0-115 (4) gd in Sep.
Foxesbow (IRE) 5-1 (11-2) Held up in rear, headway approaching 4 out, challenged 2 out, soon ridden, led last, driven out, won at Ffos Las 3m nov hcp chs 0-110 (4) gd in Aug beating Presentandcorrect (11-12) by 1l, 10 ran.
Potts of Magic 12-1 (11-3) In touch, ridden after 6th, weakened 2 out, 9th of 12, 20l behind Peters Star (10-1) at Uttoxeter 3m hcp hdl 0-110 (4) gd in Sep.
Brize Norton (IRE) 16-1 (11-11) Chased leader, led 6th, soon headed, every chance 4 out, weakened approaching 2 out, 6th of 9, 22l behind Majy D'auteuil (11-1) at Fontwell 2m 4f hcp chs 0-115 (4) gf in Sep.
Marked Man (IRE) 9-2 (10-13) Chased leaders, led from 3rd, headed approaching 2 out, chased winner from last, no impression, 2nd of 12, 10l behind Silver Adonis (11-12) at Hereford 2m 3f hcp chs 0-115 (4) gf in Sep.
Sydney Sling (IRE) 7-1 (10-4) Prominent, hampered just after 1st, joined leader 2nd, led 4th, narrowly headed when fell 6th, in a race won by Manorson (11-3) at Ffos Las 2m beg chs (4) gd, 6 ran.
