raced on inside, hit 1st, pressed winner, narrow lead 10th, kept slight advantage and driven before 2 out, joined last, headed soon after, no extra flat
raced keenly, made most and kept slight advantage until narrowly headed 10th, pressed leader, mistake 13th, mistake 2 out, driven to challenge before last, led soon after, stayed on gamely flat
raced wide, chased leading duo, ridden before 13th, lost 3rd and weakened next, tailed off
took keen hold, raced in 4th, stumbled badly 11th, went modest 3rd 14th, no chance when went right 3 out and next, tailed off
unruly and unseated rider before start, jumped right, pulled hard in rear, blundered 10th, tailed off
There wasn't much to choose between Fruity O'Rooney and ALDERLUCK over hurdles so the 6lb the latter receives here may just swing matters in his favour. Nick Gifford's eight-year-old stepped up markedly on his first run over fences when second to Master Of The Hall at Huntingdon last month and should have enough to see out this longer trip. Fruity O'Rooney has twice been beaten in small fields since winning at Fontwell over 2m4f in October but should make a race of it nevertheless and looks more of a danger than Ballyegan, who is already starting to look a little exposed over the larger obstacles.
Fruity O'Rooney 14-1 (11-5) Led until 8th, led before next, headed and pushed along from 12th, demoted to 3rd and beaten 2 out, left 2nd last, 2nd of 3, 5l behind Shalimar Fromentro (10-8) at Warwick 3m nov chs (2) hvy in Jan.
Alderluck (IRE) 22-1 (10-12) Led until 5th, stayed pressing, led and pecked 13th, headed next, 3rd and beaten when mistake last, re-took 2nd post, 2nd of 5, 6l behind Master Of The Hall (11-4) at Huntingdon 3m nov chs (3) sft in Jan.
Ballinhassig (IRE) 100-1 (10-7) In touch until dropped to last pair 6th, outpaced 8th, lost touch before 10th, tailed off, 5th of 7, well behind Native Gallery (11-0) at Folkestone 2m 5f mdn chs (5) gd.
Ballyegan (IRE) 8-1 (11-5) Led brielfy 1st, prominent, pecked 10th, blundered badly and unseated rider 11th, in a race won by Victory Gunner (11-1) at Towcester 3m hcp ch 0-110 (4) sft, 8 ran.
Domoly (FR) 10-1 (11-12) Took keen hold, held up in rear, hit 7th, struggling 10th, mistake 12th, well behind 4 out, pulled up after, in a race won by Normandy Landings (10-10) at Huntingdon 2m 4f nov hcp chs 0-95 (5) gs in Jan, 8 ran.
