tracked leader, shaken up to challenge when not fluent last, ridden flat, ran on to join winner towards finish, just held
took keen hold, tracked leaders, not fluent 4th, outpaced approaching 2 out, weakened last
made all, ridden before 2 out, pressed last, joined towards finish, just prevailed
held up in touch in 4th, headway 3 out, ridden 2 out, beaten when mistake last, weakened flat
held up in 5th, ridden after 3 out, weakened before next
in rear, jumped left 1st, tailed off 3 out
Brian Ellison has won two of the last three renewals and his Viens Chercher easily landed the odds on his UK debut at Sedgefield. The better ground here will suit and he looks a danger to ANOMALY, who impressed when beating his market rival and a previous winner on his hurdling debut at Newton Abbot and should be capable of holding his own in a higher grade. Double W's had some decent form in bumpers last season and should make a hurdler but Countersign has shown signs of temperament since landing a maiden hurdle here in May. Tiger Twenty Two and Rosie Hall look up against it.
Anomaly 11-4fav (10-12) Held up mid-division, headway after 4th, led before 2 out, soon clear, readily, won at Newton Abbot 2m 1f (4) gs in Aug beating Catcher On The Go (10-12) by 15l, 16 ran.
Countersign 20-1 (11-5) Held up well in rear, hung right throughout and jumped right in places, detached when ran out and unseated rider 5 out, at Bangor 2m 4f (4) gs in Aug.
Viens Chercher (IRE) 8-15fav (10-11) Tracked leader, led approaching 3 out, clear soon after, easily, won at Sedgefield 2m 1f (4) gf in Aug beating Raise A Spark (10-12) by 19l, 6 ran.
Double W's (IRE) 25-1 (11-4) Mid-division, headway over 3f out, no further impression 2f out, weakened over 1f out, 9th of 19, 24 1/4l behind Barters Hill (11-4) at Aintree 2m 1f (1) gs in Apr.
Tiger Twenty Two 20-1 (10-8) In rear, ridden after 3 out, weakened before 2 out, last of 8, dist behind Mighty Whitey (10-1) at Sedgefield 2m 1f hcp (3) gf in Sep.
Rosie Hall (IRE) 14-1 (8-7) Held up towards rear, ridden over 1f out, kept on same pace, 7th of 11, 5l behind Waterloo Dock (9-0) at Wolverhampton 1m 1f hcp (6) pol in Apr.