last pair out wide, behind 7th, outpaced and struggling 13th, tailed off
held up in last pair, closer in 4th at 7th, awkward 12th, pushed along before 4 out, ridden and weakened next
jumped left at times, led, went clear before 4th, reduced lead 6th, mistake 14th, went left and pecked 3 out, headed between last 2, awkward and weakened into 3rd at the last
mostly chased leader, pushed along before 4 out, led between last 2, 1 length ahead last, pushed along and kept on strongly run-in
chased leading pair, went 1 length 2nd at the last, ridden and stayed on same pace run-in
NonRunner
One For The Team looked beaten when unseating his rider at the last here at the start of the month in the race won by KALOOKI. Philip Hobbs’ novice will need to jump better if he is to follow up in this higher grade but he’s only six and looks one to follow. Harry Cobden rides the dual Grade 1-winning hurdler Next Destination rather than the more-experienced Southfield Stone so he looks the stable pick. The eight-year-old was returning from a very long absence and having his first run for Paul Nicholls when second in the West Yorkshire Hurdle and clearly retains plenty of ability though, like Hold The Note, he would have preferred more give in the ground. Acey Milan won a novices’ handicap at Aintree with a subsequent winner in third but this is a tougher examination of his credentials
Acey Milan (IRE) 5-1 (11-3) Held up in mid-division, headway from 14th, challenged 2 out, led when jumped left and not fluent last, ridden out, won at Aintree 3m 1f hcp (3) sft in Oct beating Smackwater Jack (11-0) by 1 1/2l, 11 ran.
Hold The Note (IRE) 3-1 (11-4) Tracked leaders, ridden before 4 out, soon no impression on winner, went 2nd 3 out, jumped right, not fluent and bumped 2 out, not fluent and lost 2nd last, last of 4, 17 3/4l behind Shan Blue (11-10) at Wetherby 3m (4) gs in Oct.
Kalooki (GER) 5-2 (11-5) Led, dived at 4th, fiddled 7th (water), mistake 12th, clear 2 out, mistake and left further clear last, won at Newbury 2m 6f (3) gd in Nov beating House Island (11-5) by 12l, 5 ran.
Next Destination (IRE) 6-1 (11-0) Held up in touch, still in contention when ridden 2 out, outpaced by winner last, ran on, 2nd of 8, 8 1/2l behind Roksana (10-7) at Wetherby 3m (1) sft in Oct.
One For The Team 7-4fav (11-5) Tracked leaders, hit 6th, switched right approaching 4 out, went well held 2nd between last 2, soon ridden, went slightly left and unseated rider last, at Newbury 2m 6f (3) gd in Nov.
Southfield Stone 11-4 (11-10) Chased winner, not fluent 12th, challenged 3 out, soon ridden and outpaced, no impression before 2 out, 2nd of 4, 17l behind Protektorat (11-7) at Cheltenham 2m 4f (2) gs in Nov.
