led and jumped right, headed 7th, led again next, jumped badly right final 4, driven out
not fluent, tracked leaders, blundered badly 3rd, jumped right from halfway, reminders 8th, pushed along next, driven to chase winner approaching 4 out, no impression
tracked leaders, pushed along when mistake 6 out, one pace from 4 out
held up in rear, not jumped well, weakened after 5 out, pulled up before next
raced keenly, held up in rear, headway to lead 7th, headed next, blundered 10th, soon lost place, weakened 4 out
Not the strongest of contests and this looks a good opportunity for Mytimie to get off the mark over fences. Malcolm Jefferson's charge was a useful hurdler and has shown a consistent level of form over the larger obstacles including a fluent 15-length win at Carlisle in November. The son of Be My Native has run creditably in defeat since and, with conditions in his favour, should prove hard to beat on these terms. Ebony Light boasts a course and distance success but he isn't the safest of conveyances having also fallen either side of last month's victory and is likely to make errors once again when pressure is applied. Tyneandthyneagain was easily the best of these over timber but was pulled up on his sole previous attempt over fences and has not been seen in public since a disappointing display at last year's Festival. The eight-year-old has clearly had his problems and is probably best watched on his belated seasonal reappearance while the remainder have plenty to prove at this level.
