chased leaders, not fluent 5th and 3 out, soon driven, weakened next
led, strongly challenged from 2 out, headed after last, kept on under pressure
tracked leader, every chance 2 out, led after last, ran on
held up in last, weakened 3 out, remote 4th
An intriguing heat in which HIJACK is taken to complete the hat-trick in his toughest task to date. Nicky Henderson enjoys a tremendous strike rate here and his gelding looks the sort to appreciate the step-up in trip on the evidence of recent successes. Hometown Boy was an easy winner here latest and is impossible to rule out in receipt of 4lb from the selection whilst McFabulous enters the reckoning too, getting no less than 10lb from the topweight and 6lb from Hometown Boy. He has yet to reproduce the excellence of his bumper form over timber but it's early days and his stable has returned to form in quite spectacular fashion after their traditionally quiet spell in the first half of January.
Hijack (IRE) Evensfav (11-10) Tracked leaders, led 3 out, headed next, soon hung left, led again flat, hung left and bumped rival, stayed on well, drawing clear towards finish, won at Ludlow 2m (4) sft in Jan beating South Seas (11-4) by 3 1/4l, 12 ran.
Hometown Boy (IRE) 13-8fav (11-12) Led until 2nd, led again 4th, drew clear 2 out, easily, won at Market Rasen 2m 3f hcp (4) gs in Dec beating Torrid (11-5) by 12l, 10 ran.
McFabulous (IRE) 4-1 (11-0) Tracked winner until hit 3 out, weakened next, last of 4, 15l behind Master Debonair (11-3) at Ascot 2m (1) hvy in Dec.
Tip Top Cat (IRE) 12-1 (11-0) Held up and behind, headway over 1f out, never nearer, 7th of 14, 20 1/4l behind Wilde About Oscar (11-0) at Warwick 2m (5) sft in Dec.
No Getaway (IRE) 12-1 (10-7) Held up towards rear, outpaced after 2 out, soon ridden, never able to challenge, weakened flat, 9th of 11, 22 1/2l behind Goodbye Dancer (10-5) at Cheltenham 3m hcp (2) sft in Dec.
