in rear, blundered 8th, headway 4 out, went 3rd 3 out, ridden and weakened before last
tracked leaders, weakened from halfway, tailed off
mid-division, went 3rd before 5 out, led 4 out, clear from 2 out
close up, weakened before 3 out
led to 4 out, weakened next
held up towards rear, headway 3 out, ridden before last in 3rd, kept on same pace
held up towards rear, blundered 5 out, effort before 3 out, never dangerous
tracked leaders, went 2nd from 5th, every chance 5 out, chased winner before last, kept on and no impression
Definite Dream beat Wednesday's Wetherby winner Firth Of The Clyde at Chepstow last month and will be fancied to follow up. But a number of these have the past form to figure including the headstrong Wessex King and Highway Code, though the latter is still awaiting a first victory over fences. Speed Master and Massena are unexposed but WINGS OF SMOKE ran well for a long way on his reappearance at Worcester in September and should strip fitter today. The top weight beat Ballywatt by two lengths in this 12 months ago and is 4lb better off today so can stage an encore.
Wings Of Smoke (IRE) 5-1 (11-4) Held up in 4th, jumped left at times, mistake 9th, closed last, every chance flat, no extra towards finish, 4th of 6, 4 1/2l behind Spock (10-4) at Worcester 2m hcp chs 0-135 (3) gd in Sep.
Speed Master (IRE) 11-4fav (11-5) Held up, mistake 5th, not fluent 9th, 6th and struggling after 11th, 5th of 8, 23l behind Sergeant Dick (11-2) at Ffos Las 2m 3f nov hcp chs 0-125 (3) hvy.
Highway Code (USA) 7-2 (11-1) Mid-division, headway before 2nd, not fluent 5th, challenged 3 out, every chance when not fluent last, edged right and no impression flat, 3rd of 10, 2 1/2l behind Waterunder (11-12) at Exeter 2m 1f hcp hdl 0-135 (3) sft.
Definite Dream (IRE) 10-3 (10-10) Led after 3rd, headed 4th, led again 3 out, headed 2 out, regained lead run-in, kept on, won at Carlisle 2m nov hcp chs 0-125 (3) sft in Oct beating Firth Of The Clyde (10-12) by 1l, 8 ran.
Wessex King (IRE) 10-1 (11-1) Led until after 5th, lost place after 4 out, weakened from 3 out, 7th of 8, 34l behind Hell's Bay (11-4) at Worcester 2m 4f hcp chs 0-130 (3) gd in May.
Ballywatt (IRE) 5-1 (11-12) Held up in rear, not fluent 4th, mistake 7th, not fluent 4 out, headway after 3 out to chase winner before 2 out, no impression, lost 2nd last, one pace, 3rd of 8, 11l behind Rockchasebullett (10-6) at Warwick 2m 4f hcp chs 0-120 (4) gs.
Majorica King (FR) 5-1 (11-0) With leaders, tracked leader, led 7th, headed 4 out, disputing 2nd when fell 3 out, in a race won by Monte Cavallo (10-12) at Bangor 2m 1f nov chs (4) gd in May, 7 ran.
Massena (IRE) 9-2 (11-6) Prominent, led 2nd, soon headed, led again 5th, drew clear approaching 2 out, in no danger after, eased towards finish, won at Wincanton 2m cond nov hcp hdl 0-105 (4) gd beating Backhomeinderry (11-6) by 5l, 12 ran.
