chased leaders, mistake 7th, no impression before 3 out
held up towards rear, unseated rider 5 out
chased leaders, ridden before 2 out, kept on same pace
led, blundered 3rd, pressed from 3 out, blundered badly last, soon headed, no extra
with leader, weakened from 5 out
held up in rear, pulled up before 9th
chased leaders, went 2nd 5 out, challenged 3 out, pressed leader 2 out, led after last, kept on
O'Callaghan Strand has been beaten in an all-weather bumper since finishing second at Catterick in December. A conditional's 10lb allowance gives him a chance on that form. Ballinroab won off a similar mark at Huntingdon last year and could go well but Hatters River remains 8lb higher than April's victory at Wincanton. Munsaab should be taking advantage of a slide down the handicap soon, but BALLYWATT is preferred. The latter failed to complete in testing ground last time but a repeat of one of his earlier placed efforts in better company than this could see him come out best today.
O'callaghan Strand (AUS) 50-1 (10-6) Prominent in chasing group, pushed along 5f out, soon ridden and weakened, 11th of 13, 47l behind My Tent Or Yours (11-2) at Kempton 2m n h flat (3) std in Feb.
Ballywatt (IRE) 9-1 (11-11) Held up and off the pace, struggling 9th, tailed off 11th, pulled up before 4 out, in a race won by Ballinvarrig (11-9) at Exeter 2m 3f hcp chs 0-120 (4) sft in Dec, 11 ran.
Munsaab (IRE) 11-2 (11-0) Tracked leaders, 4th and one pace when mistake 3 out, soon weakened, 4th of 7, 21l behind Firth Of The Clyde (11-10) at Market Rasen 2m 2f hcp chs 0-135 (3) hvy in Jan.
Hatters River (IRE) 5-1 (11-0) Held up in rear, headway and in touch 5 out, effort next, kept on same pace, no impression when lost 3rd 2 out, 4th of 7, 20l behind King Massini (11-2) at Ludlow 3m hcp chs 0-130 (3) gs in Dec.
Riguez Dancer 9-1 (11-12) Held up in touch, headway 5 out, went 4th 4 out, ridden before 2 out, weakened before last, 4th of 7, 9l behind Swing Hard (11-12) at Musselburgh 3m hcp chs 0-115 (4) sft in Jan.
Sunsetten (IRE) 16-1 (10-7) Held up in rear, under pressure halfway, headway 11th, chasing leaders when unseated rider next, in a race won by Pilgrims Lane (11-8) at Stratford 2m 5f hcp chs 0-145 (2) gd in Jun '12, 7 ran.
Highbury High (IRE) 11-4 (10-1) Held up in rear, brought down 6th, in a race won by San Telm (11-0) at Fakenham 2m 5f hcp chs 0-130 (3) gs in Dec, 6 ran.
Balinroab (IRE) 8-1 (10-5) Behind, weakened before 6 out, tailed off 5 out, 8th of 11, well behind Bar De Ligne (10-12) at Musselburgh 2m 4f hcp chs 0-140 (3) gs in Jan.