chased leader, strong challenge on outside after last, stayed on to lead post
chased leading trio, pushed along before 3rd, plugged on into modest 3rd before 2 out
chased leading pair, hit 4th, no impression when dropped to 4th before 3 out
last pair, struggling bypassing omitted 4 out, mistake next, blundered 2 out, tailed off
led, clear bypassing omitted 4 out, ridden before 2 out, went left 2 out, reduced lead when went left again last, hard ridden and strongly pressed run-in, headed post
last pair, dropped to last at 4th, no chance after, tailed off
A low-key affair to end proceedings. Kastani Beach has shown little improvement for the switch back to hurdles while it's difficult to find much encouragement about the chances of Hudibras and Jumeirah Liberty but Maccabees has dropped a few pounds and Nouailhas only found one too good here and at Fontwell in this grade last month. MR FICKLE has had a few near-misses and looked to be back on song when chasing home Aficianado at Fontwell last month - he should go one better in this.
Kastani Beach (IRE) 8-1 (10-12) Tracked leaders in 4th, pushed along 4 out, soon weakened, 6th of 10, 27l behind Aficionado (11-7) at Fontwell 2m 2f hcp hdl 0-110 (4) sft in Dec.
Mr Fickle (IRE) 3-1 (11-0) Tracked leader, joined leader 4 out, led 3 out, soon headed, ridden before 2 out, kept on to take 2nd towards finish, no chance with winner, 2nd of 10, 2 1/4l behind Aficionado (11-7) at Fontwell 2m 2f hcp hdl 0-110 (4) sft in Dec.
Hudibras (IRE) 25-1 (11-1) Behind, pushed along after 2nd, tailed off when hung left and not run on after 6th, soon pulled up, in a race won by Benability (10-9) at Fontwell 2m 4f hcp hdl (5) sft in Dec, 9 ran.
Jumeirah Liberty 66-1 (10-0) Held up towards rear, headway before 2 out, ridden before last, no impression, 9th of 10, well behind Aficionado (11-7) at Fontwell 2m 2f hcp hdl 0-110 (4) sft in Dec.
Nouailhas 7-1 (10-0) Chased leaders, 2nd before 5th, no impression 3 out, stayed on to lead last, headed flat, no extra, 2nd of 9, 4 1/2l behind Benability (10-9) at Fontwell 2m 4f hcp hdl (5) sft in Dec.
Maccabees 8-1 (10-0) Held up off the pace in last pair, some headway 6th, driven and weakened before 2 out, 5th of 9, 16l behind Join The Navy (11-7) at Lingfield 2m 3f hcp hdl 0-100 (5) hvy.
