towards rear, mid-division after 3 out, pushed along and weakened before 2 out
rear mid-division, headway to chase front rank after 3 out, plugged on, never threatened
mid-division, struggling after 3 out
towards rear, well behind before 2 out
mid-division on outer, dropped away before 2 out
led, headed and tracked leader 3rd, pushed along 2 out, kept on one pace
handy, jumped left 2nd and lost position, awkward 3rd, soon closed up again, gradually weakened 2 out
in rear, tailed off after 3 out
close up, led 3rd, pushed out run-in, kept on well, always doing enough
rear mid-division, awkward 2nd, never involved
prominent, pushed along before 2 out, stayed on same pace, faded run-in
mid-division, weakened and behind when mistake last
front mid-division, went 3rd after 3rd, pushed along before last, chased winner run-in, no impression
Bumper winner NORMAN FLETCHER finished runner-up at Ludlow last month on only his second outing over timber and a bold bid looks likely. Fierce Warrior is another bumper winner having scored at Worcester back in May and makes his hurdling debut while Dr Seb finished second at Huntingdon when last in action but that was in March 2022. Daaris has won once on the Flat and debuts in this code.
Benjamin Bear (IRE) 5-1 (10-0) Slowly into stride, in rear, ridden 3f out, well beaten final 2f, 10th of 11, 15 1/4l behind Starfighter (9-10) at Wolverhampton 1m 4f hcp (6) pol in Sep.
Bitsnbuckles (IRE) 150-1 (11-0) Mid-division, weakened 3 out, 8th of 13, 36 3/4l behind Willmount (11-0) at Newbury 2m (3) gs in Nov.
Clarehill (IRE) 6-1 (12-2) Ld/disp, hdd bef 2out, sn rdn & ko onepce, 4th of 14, 21l behind I Can Only Imagine (11-11) at Moira 3m mdn Yielding in Apr.
Cormackstown Road (IRE) 20-1 (11-4) Jumped left 1st, soon handy, challenged 7th, not fluent 3 out, weakened before 2 out, 6th of 8, 27 1/4l behind Sula Warrior (10-11) at Perth 2m 4f mdn (4) gd in Jul.
Daaris (IRE) 5-1 (8-10) Led, ridden 2f out, headed approaching final furlong, plugged on, 4th of 7, 7 3/4l behind Billy No Mates (9-9) at Haydock 1m 6f hcp (5) sft in Sep.
Dr Seb (FR) 7-1 (11-6) Tracked leader, tracked leaders 2 out, left clear 2nd at next, 2nd of 9, 4 1/2l behind Jeremy The Jinn (11-6) at Huntingdon 2m mdn (4) gd in Mar.
Fierce Warrior (IRE) 5-1 (10-10) Raced keenly, headway out wide tracking leaders after 3f, went 2nd 10f out, led over 1f out, ridden out, won at Worcester 2m mdn (5) gd in May beating Onewaywest (10-10) by 3 1/4l, 8 ran.
Geordie Night 150-1 (10-9) Prominent, ridden 5f out, soon tailed off, 13th of 14, dist behind Long Symphony (11-7) at Wetherby 2m mdn (5) gs in Feb.
Illico De Nuit (FR) 6-1 (11-2) Held up in rear, headway 5f out, no impression in 4th 3f out, soon pulled up, at Market Rasen 2m 1f (5) gs in May.
Norman Fletcher 7-4fav (11-1) Not fluent, led until 4 out, soon led again, headed 2 out, no impression on winner flat, 2nd of 15, 5l behind Wyenot (10-8) at Ludlow 2m (4) gs in Oct.
Ranging Bear (IRE) 7-1 (11-9) Towards rear, pushed along and headway after 7th, weakened and pulled up before 3 out, at Chepstow 2m 3f mdn (4) gs in Feb.
Ronaldoreturns 8-1 (11-5) Chsd ldrs 5f out; wknd 2f out, 6th of 10, 20 3/4l behind Patanita (11-6) at Maisemore Park 2m gf in Mar.
Rumoursareflying 22-1 (11-7) Rear mid-division, chased leaders over 4f out, pushed along and weakened over 2f out, 10th of 14, 18 1/4l behind Long Symphony (11-7) at Wetherby 2m mdn (5) gs in Feb.
Viva Valentina (IRE) 9-4 (10-9) Off the pace and always behind, tailed off, last of 8, dist behind Support Act (11-2) at Wetherby 2m (5) gs in Apr.
Pallaton (IRE) 200-1 (11-0) Raced wide, in touch, pushed along and weakened 4 out, behind when pulled up before 2 out, at Hereford 2m (4) gd in Oct.
