always prominent, ridden approaching 4 out, left chasing winner next, no impression 2 out, kept on to hold 2nd flat
tracked leaders, went 2nd 10th, weakening when blundered 4 out
tracked leader, led 9th to 4 out, weakened next
mid-division, blundered 7th, blundered and weakened 4 out, tailed off when pulled up before last
behind, ridden and struggling 4 out
held up in mid-division, steady headway from 10th, led 4 out, drew clear 2 out, eased near finish
chased leaders, ridden and stayed on same pace from 4 out
held up in mid-division, headway to chase leaders from 11th, 6th and no chance when hit 4 out
held up in rear, well behind when blundered 11th
led 3rd until hit 9th, weakened after next, blundered 4 out
hit 6th, always behind, tailed off when blundered 11th
behind when fell 8th
held up, headway 10th, chased winner and blundered 3 out, not recover, rallied and kept on well to press for 2nd flat
led, hit 2nd, headed next, weakened 8th, tailed off when pulled up before 4 out
mid-division, hit 8th, well behind when pulled up before 11th
mistake 11th, always behind
Lamp's Return ran a race full of promise on his handicap debut when making his return at Warwick last month and is taken to improve sufficiently on his showing there to take this at the main expense of Escompteur and Lindsay. The last mentioned resumed winning ways at Doncaster last time and cannot be ruled out off just a 5lb higher mark today. Toulouse looks to be a shade high in the weighs at present, while Kosmos Bleu may have had his confidence knocked by a last time out fall at Leicester. Charlie Egerton's Ballyrobert and Nigel Hawke's Soeur Fontenail are closely matched on running here last month, although the booking of Tony McCoy for Egerton's other runner Rubberdubber suggests that he may be the better fancied of the trainer's two runners. A market move for the Ian Williams-trained New Bird would be of interest, while any further rain would help the cause of Laurier d'Estruval. Forever Dream is difficult to recommend on recent evidence and of more interest may be Martin Pipe's Escompteur, who has plenty of ability and may be capable of better than he has shown so far over fences. Lamp's Return did little wrong at Warwick last time though and, with improvement to come, he looks the one to be on.
Key Phil (FR) 8-1 (11-8) In touch, mistake 8th, under pressure and lost place next, 7th of 12, 45l behind Soeur Fontenail (10-5) at Plumpton 2m 4f hcp chs 0-125 (D) gd in Nov.
Toulouse (IRE) 8-1 (11-7) Led 2nd to 4th, settled in touch, effort after 9th, weakened 2 out, 3rd of 9, 13l behind Demi Beau (11-12) at Ludlow 2m hcp chs 0-125 (D) gd in Dec.
Escompteur (FR) 7-1 (10-0) Chased leader, led 5th to 9th, led again 10th, ridden and headed after 3 out, weakened 2 out, 6th of 9, 15l behind Tysou (11-2) at Cheltenham 2m hcp chs 0-145 (B) gs in Dec.
Forever Dream 8-1 (11-12) Held up towards rear, headway after 12th, blundered 4 out, not recover pulled up 4 out in race won by Preacher Boy (11-9) at Wincanton 2m 5f hcp chs 0-115 (D) gd in Dec, 8 ran.
Day du Roy (FR) 50-1 (10-8) Behind, driven and headway 4 out, blundered next, no danger, 7th of 13, 27l behind Kelrev (11-6) at Doncaster 2m 3f hcp chs 0-135 (C) gs in Dec.
Rubberdubber 15-8fav (11-7) Not fluent chased leaders, pushed along approaching 7th, weakened 3 out, 6th of 13, 39l behind Swift Swallow (10-4) at Market Rasen 2m 3f nh nov hdl (D) gd in Feb.
Soeur Fontenail (FR) 10-1 (10-3) Tracked leaders, hit 2nd, ridden and weakened 5 out pulled up 3 out in race won by Lord Maizey (10-13) at Chepstow 2m 3f hcp chs 0-135 (C) gs in Dec, 13 ran.
Lindsay (FR) 9-2 (11-4) In touch, headway 3 out, led next, soon ridden, held on towards finish, won at Doncaster 2m 3f hcp chs 0-110 (E) gd in Dec beating Alcopop (11-5) by a hd, 8 ran.
Ballyrobert (IRE) 4-1 (11-12) In touch, went 2nd 3 out, blundered badly last, kept on flat, held near finish, 2nd of 9, 1l behind Soeur Fontenail (11-11) at Newbury 2m 2f hcp chs 0-110 (E) gs in Dec.
Kosmos Bleu (FR) 6-1 (10-13) Tracked leaders, hit 4 out, disputing close 4th when fell 3 out in race won by Millenaire (11-8) at Leicester 2m 7f hcp chs 0-125 (D) gd in Dec, 11 ran.
Haafel (USA) 22-1 (11-6) Prominent, ridden approaching 4 out, weakened after next, 5th of 7, 38l behind Saintsaire (11-12) at Windsor 2m 4f hcp chs 0-125 (D) gs in Dec.
New Bird (GER) 20-1 (10-6) Chased leaders, ridden after 7th, soon weakened, 6th of 8, 23l behind Island Faith (11-6) at Haydock 2m hcp chs 0-130 (C) gs in Nov.
Kew Jumper (IRE) 5-2fav (11-12) Joined leader 3rd, every chance 3 out, soon ridden, one pace from next, 5th of 8, 4l behind Lindsay (11-4) at Doncaster 2m 3f hcp chs 0-110 (E) gd in Dec.
Lamp's Return 4-1jt-fav (10-13) Led 1st until 2 out, no extra approaching last, 2nd of 9, 7l behind Marked Man (11-12) at Warwick 2m hcp chs 0-125 (D) sft in Dec.
Laurier d'Estruval (FR) 4-1 (11-7) Led 1st, mistake and headed 2nd, ridden when left 2nd 3 out, led 2 out, kept on, won at Hereford 2m hcp chs 0-105 (E) gs in Mar beating The Leader (11-4) by 3 1/2l, 8 ran.
Wakeup Smiling (IRE) 50-1 (11-0) Always behind, 7th of 11, 43l behind Control Man (11-5) at Cheltenham 2m 5f nov chs (B) gd in Dec '04.
