in touch, ridden and outpaced 4 out, no danger after
led, headed 5 out, outpaced when mistake next, kept on from 3 out, no impression
hampered and unseated rider 1st
held up in touch, outpaced 9th, 9 lengths down and no impression when mistake and unseated rider 3 out
in touch, headway to challenge 4 out, every chance when carried left 2 out, carried left and hampered last, ridden and no extra flat
held up in touch, reminders 7th, outpaced 5 out, no danger after
tracked leaders, headway to join leader 7th, led 5 out, hard pressed when jumped left final 2, driven and stayed on flat
prominent, outpaced 4 out, one pace next
Nonrunner
Nonrunner
FIRST BOY is still unexposed over fences and can see off Golden Child, Guns And Butter and Et Maintenant. Sue Smith's gelding has only had three starts over fences and his run last time at Carlisle suggested that his mark of 110 is not beyond him. He acts on any ground so won't mind which way the weather goes and with his good young jockey aboard he should run well. Sammy Spiderman has been progressive this season but the suspicion is that he is now vulnerable to the handicapper, so a bigger danger may be recent winner Et Maintenant who still looks fairly treated on his old form and won nicely recently at Ayr. Golden Child tries the first-time blinkers following a string of near misses, Major Miller is better than we have seen recently but his trainer does not have a good record at the track, whilst Guns And Butter is as consistent as they come but the application of the visor recently has not seemed to have had too much effect. Don't be surprised if Soprano bounces back to form and hits the high notes, but for the winner we will stick with First Boy.
Et Maintenant (FR) 4-1 (11-9) Tracked leader, led 4 out, ridden and jumped left last, kept on well, won at Ayr 2m hcp chs 0-115 (4) sft in Mar beating Cantgeton (11-7) by 5l, 7 ran.
Doc Row (IRE) 10-1 (11-12) Led until 7th, lost place 11th, close up 5th when brought down 4 out, in a race won by Nile Moon (10-10) at Kelso 2m 6f nov hcp chs 0-115 (4) gd, 10 ran.
Golden Child (IRE) 8-1 (10-7) Held up in rear, ridden 8th, outpaced 4 out, rallied after 2 out, kept on under pressure flat, not reach leading pair, 3rd of 9, 4 1/2l behind Mount Benger (11-3) at Cheltenham 2m 5f nov ltd hcp chs 0-135 (3) gd.
First Boy 11-4 (11-0) Tracked leaders, hit 8th, ridden after 2 out and kept on flat, 2nd of 7, 1/2l behind Super Baby (11-3) at Kelso 2m 1f nov hcp chs 0-115 (4) gd in Mar.
Guns And Butter (IRE) 4-1 (11-3) Mid-division, tracked winner from 4 out, ridden after 2 out, no impression, 3rd of 10, 13l behind Nile Moon (10-10) at Kelso 2m 6f nov hcp chs 0-115 (4) gd.
Soprano (GER) 11-2 (11-0) Held up, outpaced 5th, tailed off and pulled up before 2 out, in a race won by Bermuda Pointe (11-5) at Carlisle 2m hcp chs 0-115 (4) gd, 9 ran.
Major Miller 10-1 (11-4) Tended to jump left, raced wide in touch, went 3rd under pressure after 3 out, weakened next, 6th of 10, 13l behind Spanish Conquest (10-9) at Kempton 2m cond hcp hdl 0-1115 (4) gd in Mar.
Frith (IRE) 4-1 (11-12) Held up on outside, headway 3 out, effort next, one pace approaching last, 4th of 8, 4l behind Norminster (11-7) at Carlisle 2m nov hcp chs 0-95 (5) hvy in Mar.
Sotovik (IRE) 11-2 (10-9) Prominent, went 2nd 3 out, stayed on one pace from last, 2nd of 7, 3l behind Cash Man (10-11) at Carlisle 2m 5f beg chase (4) gs in Mar.
Sammy Spiderman 11-4 (10-5) Held up, hampered 5th, went 2nd 12th, blundered 5 out, effort 3 out, ridden and kept on same pace from next, no impression, 2nd of 4, 6l behind Panama At Once (10-5) at Ayr 3m 1f hcp chs 0-125 (3) sft in Mar.
Nicky Tam (IRE) 5-1 (11-9) Tracked leaders halfway, every chance approaching 4 out, weakened from next, 6th of 18, 20l behind Hall Of Flame (10-9) at Newcastle 2m 4f hcp chs 0-95 (5) gd in Oct.
