soon tracked winner until one pace from last
tracked winner early, lost place approaching 4 out
tracked leaders, fell 11th
held up in rear in touch, hit 4th, chased winner approaching last, kept on same pace, no impression on winner
made all, kept on well from last
Nonrunner
A small field for this handicap chase where the percentage call would probably be Ormus, but we are going to take a chance on CYBORA. With a feather racing weight on his back, including the excellent Graham Lee, Ferdy Murphy's eight-year-old is ideally suited by this trip and a sound surface. Her 36-length defeat on her return run at Hexham earlier in the month is not as bad as it first reads and she will strip fitter now, so we'll side with her. Ormus is just 2lb higher than a recent Kelso win and is also consistent, so it would be foolish to underestimate him. Folk Tune has conditions to suit and is not badly treated on his best hurdles form, while Ormello is difficult to win with and stablemate Go Silver Bullet is competitively weighted but will probably need a favour from the assessor before winning again.
Folk Tune (IRE) 15-2 (10-8) Chased leaders in 4th, outpaced 5 out, behind next, danger after, 4th of 6, 34l behind Stagecoach Pearl (10-11) at Aintree 2m hcp chs 0-145 (2) gs in Oct.
Ormello (FR) 14-1 (11-12) Mid-division on outside, towards rear when blundered and unseated rider 9th, in a race won by Deuteronomy (10-4) at Haydock 2m 4f hcp chs 0-115 (4) gd in Oct, 12 ran.
Baaher (USA) 20-1 (10-10) Held up towards rear and keen, hit 2nd, weakened approaching 3 out, 8th of 10, 25l behind Rio Gael (11-4) at Haydock 2m hcp hdl 0-135 (3) gd.
Ormus 15-8fav (10-4) Held up in 4th, not fluent 9th, tracked leading pair 2 out, effort last, squeezed through on inside to challenge flat, ridden and stayed on to lead towards finish, won at Kelso 2m 1f hcp chs 0-115 (4) gd beating Kosta Brava (11-7) by shd, 5 ran.
Cybora (FR) 12-1 (10-9) In rear, went remote 4th 3 out, never dangerous, 4th of 6, 36l behind Ocarina (11-9) at Hexham 2m 4f cond hcp chs 0-105 (4) hvy.
Go Silver Bullet (FR) 2-1fav (11-8) Tracked leaders, lost place 11th, soon outpaced, no impression from 3 out, 4th of 6, 32l behind Retrievethelegend (11-8) at Perth 2m 4f hcp chs 0-130 (3) gf in Jul.