tracked leading pair, tracked leader 4th, narrow lead 6th, narrowly headed 9th, with leader, led again 4 out, strongly pressed, advantage 2 out, driven flat, always holding on
tracked winner until 4th, stayed in 3rd, pushed along one pace and no impression on leading pair before 4 out, well held when mistake 2 out
held up until blundered and unseated rider 3rd
never jumped with any fluency, in rear, blundered 8th, some headway approaching next, slow and driven next, tailed off, blundered last
led, narrowly headed 6th, with winner, led again narrowly 9th, narrowly headed 4 out, stayed pressing until slow 2 out, kept on flat, always held
tracked leading trio, slow and went left 1st, dropped to rear approaching 9th, outpaced and struggling in 4th, when mistake 5 out, tailed off
Beneficial Reform was well backed on his chasing bow at Kelso last month but could only finish fourth. He has scope for improvement, however, while Ballycolin wouldn't be far away if reproducing the form of his latest second to Time For Spring at Carlisle. Hollins was just about the best of these over hurdles and won a valuable handicap on the Flat at Goodwood over the summer, while Devotion To Duty won over timber here last season. But the vote goes to MAGGIO, who has a chasing pedigree and had the form of his second to Cape Dutch over hurdles at Hexham franked when the winner scored again next time. He didn't enjoy much luck over the smaller obstacles but this should be more his game.
Ballycolin 33-1 (11-4) Tracked leaders, pushed along before 4 out, hampered soon after, led 3 out, headed run-in, kept on, 2nd of 8, 1 3/4l behind Time For Spring (11-4) at Carlisle 2m 4f nov chs (4) gd in Oct.
Beneficial Reform (IRE) 15-8fav (11-12) Tracked leader, with leader 3rd, ridden before and hit 2 out, one pace from last, 4th of 7, 9l behind The Cockney Squire (11-10) at Kelso 2m 1f nov hcp chs 0-110 (4) gs in Oct.
Devotion To Duty (IRE) 14-1 (11-2) Mid-division, headway approaching 9th, ridden after 3 out, weakened before last, 3rd of 9, 44l behind Los Nadis (10-8) at Perth 3m hcp hdl 0-135 (3) gs in Sep.
Hollins 16-1 (11-2) Held up towards rear, headway approaching 3 out, ridden and outpaced before last, 5th of 11, 22l behind Sir Kezbaah (11-4) at Cheltenham 3m hcp hdl 0-140 (2) gd in Apr.
Maggio (FR) 5-4fav (11-0) Led, headed before last, kept on, 2nd of 12, 3l behind Cape Dutch (10-7) at Hexham 2m mdn hdl (5) gd in Sep.
Mystified (IRE) 200-1 (10-11) Always behind, tailed off from 6th, 8th of 11, well behind Frascati Park (11-2) at Carlisle 2m beg chs (4) sft in Oct.
