in rear, struggling 7th, soon lost touch, tailed off when left 4th 5 out
jumped right 1st, led to after 2nd, tracked winner, challenged 10th, virtually upsides and every chance when fell 5 out
with leader, pecked 2nd, soon led, made most after, narrow leader when left well clear 5 out, well in command when jumped right from 3 out, unchallenged
held up in 4th, outpaced 13th, left moderate 3rd 5 out, no chance with front pair, tailed off
tracked leading pair, blundered 3rd, outpaced 13th, no impression when left moderate but clear 2nd 5 out, mistake next, rallied briefly after last, no chance with winner
The Paul Nicholls-trained Aiteen Thirtythree and Nicky Henderson's Be There In Five are closely matched on hurdles form and it will be interesting to see how both perform first time up over fences with marginal preference among the two for the former who has had the benefit of a run this season when winning gamely over timber at Cheltenham last month. The Philip Hobbs-trained Voramar Two made a pleasing debut over fences when chasing home Watamu Bay at Exeter, while Swincombe Rock represents the bang in-form yard of Nigel Twiston-Davies and has to be considered following wins at Perth and Huntingdon but this is tougher now having to give weight away all round. The vote then goes the way of Tom George's TELL MASSINI, who was the best of these over hurdles and won well at Stratford last month on his chasing debut; he can follow up here.
Swincombe Rock 4-11fav (11-8) Tracked leader and keen, hit 11th and 12th, chased leader after 3 out, led 2 out, soon clear, won at Huntingdon 3m nov chs (3) gd in Oct beating Pheidias (11-5) by 19l, 5 ran.
Tell Massini (IRE) 8-11fav (11-4) Pressed leader, hit 1st, led 5th, comfortably, won at Stratford 2m 7f beg chs (4) gs in Oct beating Fredo (11-4) by 3 1/2l, 7 ran.
Aiteen Thirtythree (IRE) Evensfav (10-12) Raced wide throughout, led, not fluent 5th, ridden and joined last, narrowly headed flat, rallied gamely to lead again final 110 yards, won at Cheltenham 3m 1f nh nov hdl (3) gd in Oct beating Supercede (11-6) by 1l, 9 ran.
Be There In Five (IRE) 3-1 (11-10) Not fluent, held up behind leading trio, not fluent 8th, hit 4 out, challenged and not fluent 3 out, going best and led narrowly last, ridden out to assert final 110 yards, won at Newbury 3m nh nov hdl (4) gs in Mar beating Aiteen Thirtythree (11-3) by nk, 4 ran.
Voramar Two 10-3 (10-12) Tracked leading pair, left close 2nd 13th, no impression from 2 out, 2nd of 5, 18l behind Watamu Bay (10-12) at Exeter 3m nov chs (3) gs.