chased leaders, tracked winner from 13th until ridden approaching 3 out, weakened 2 out
led, hit 5th, headed 7th, tracked winner after until 13th, regained 2nd approaching 3 out, stayed on same pace from 2 out
mid-division, headway on outside approaching 12th, ridden after next, stayed on same pace from 2 out
chased leaders, ridden and weakened 11th, blundered 12th
jumped left 1st, soon prominent, chased leader from 3rd, led 7th, clear after 9th, driven out flat
towards rear, bumped 1st, not fluent 3rd, headway after 4th, lost place after 10th
towards rear, headway approaching 4 out, 12 lengths 5th and staying on when blundered badly 3 out, not recover
prominent early, held up in touch, blundered 12th, weakening and blundered 13th
behind until pulled up before 10th
not fluent, always behind, lost touch from 12th
held up, never near leaders
held up, stayed on from 4 out but never dangerous
mid-division, ridden 13th, no impression from 13th
Allaboveboard, Fight The Feeling and Lord Ryeford are the three to look out for with the vote going to the last named. The selection caught the eye at Wetherby on his seasonal reappearence when finishing second to Liberty Ben. He still looks unexposed and with further improvement on the cards he looks the one they all have to beat. Fight The Feeling is the winner of six races in his career and was back in the winners enclosure last time out over course and distance when getting the better of Castle Frome. He will find this a little tougher but has to be respected. Allaboveboard has won five times this year and as a result has risen in the ratings. He was a winner on his penultimate start at Wetherby but was disappointing at Fakenham last time out. The handicapper may well have caught up with him now but with the yard still having winners he is still respected. However, for the winner we return to Lord Ryeford.
Maletton (FR) 5-2 (11-12) Close up, hit 4 out, chasing winner when blundered badly 3 out, not recover, 3rd of 4, well behind Bubble Boy (11-3) at Sandown 3m hcp chs 0-120 (3) gs.
Dearson (IRE) 9-1 (11-12) Held up, headway 6th, every chance 2 out, jumped left last, one pace flat, 2nd of 8, 3 1/2l behind Pure Magic (10-3) at Ludlow 2m 5f nov hcp hdl 0-115 (3) gf in Apr.
Kaldouas (FR) 5-6fav (11-11) Led 3rd to next, chased leader, challenging when fell at the 12th in race won by Idris (11-12) at Sandown 2m 4f nov hcp chs 0-120 (3) gs, 6 ran.
Hunting Yuppie (IRE) 12-1 (11-9) Tracked leaders, mistake 2nd, lost place from 5th, tailed off when pulled up at the 8th in race won by Iron Man (11-12) at Market Rasen 2m 6f hcp chs 0-125 (3) sft in Nov, 8 ran.
Art Virginia (FR) 7-2 (11-0) Held up, went 3rd at 8th, mistake 14th and soon pulled up 4 out in race won by Cool Roxy (11-1) at Fakenham 3m nov chs (3) gd in Nov, 6 ran.
Its Crucial (IRE) 25-1 (11-6) Mid-division, lost place 3 out, beaten when hit last, 10th of 15, 20l behind Lennon (11-2) at Perth 2m hcp hdl 0-120 (3) gd in Apr.
Prince of Persia 20-1 (11-0) Held up, ridden 6th, effort approaching 3 out, soon ridden and weakened, 5th of 8, 18l behind Handy Money (11-0) at Huntingdon 2m beg chs (3) gd in May.
Allaboveboard (IRE) 5-2 (11-12) Chased leader, ridden and every chance 3 out, soon weakened, 6th of 8, 44l behind Letitia's Loss (11-3) at Fakenham 2m 7f hcp hdl 0-115 (4) gs.
Lord Ryeford (IRE) 7-1 (11-8) Led, ridden and hit 3 out, under pressure from next, headed towards finish, no extra, 2nd of 8, 1/2l behind Liberty Ben (11-11) at Wetherby 2m 4f nov hcp chs 0-105 (4) gd in Nov.
River Trapper (IRE) 11-2 (11-7) Led until not fluent and headed 2nd, tracked leader to 10th, under pressure and weakened 12th, well behind when pulled up 2 out in race won by Harris Bay (11-6) at Sandown 2m 4f nov hcp chs 0-120 (D) sft in Dec '05, 5 ran.
Captain Flinders (IRE) 12-1 (11-12) Held up, progress from 6th, hampered 3 out, no impression after, 5th of 14, 21l behind Minella Tipperary (11-8) at Exeter 2m 6f nov hcp hdl 0-105 (4) sft in Nov.
PonchaTrain (IRE) 5-2 (10-4) Chased leaders until ridden and weakened between last 2, 3rd of 5, 6l behind Armagh South (10-3) at Plumpton 2m 5f nov hcp hdl 0-105 (4) sft in Nov.
Fight The Feeling 13-2 (10-2) Held up, 13 lengths adrift 4 out, headway from 3 out, led last, stayed on, won at Ludlow 2m 4f nov hcp chs 0-100 (4) gs beating Castle Frome (10-0) by 2l, 11 ran.