held up towards rear, pushed along before 13th, stayed in to modest 4th 2 out, never any chance
held up, blundered 9th, headway approaching 4 out, chased leading pair when hit 3 out, one pace and no extra from next
prominent, pushed along and lost place before 7th, struggling 10th, tailed off when blundered 13th and soon pulled up
chased leaders, pushed along 11th, struggling when hit 14th, well behind when mistake 4 out, tailed off
behind, mistake 2nd, pushed along 6th, struggling 10th, tailed off when pulled up 14th
chased leader, led after 4th, headed approaching 7th, chased leader to 10th, stayed prominent until weakened before 3 out
jumped right, led until after 4th, chased leader, led again before 7th, mistake 13th, 2 lengths clear 2 out, kept on well from last
held up towards rear, mistake 3rd, blundered 10th, some headway approaching 14th, moderate 6th before 2 out, pulled up before last
held up in touch, mistake 7th, headway to chase winner from 10th, driven and tried to close approaching 2 out, no extra from last
always in rear, blundered 10th, tailed off when pulled up 14th
SHAMMY BUSKINS has gone up 13lbs for a resounding Stratford success last month, but with the yard still firing we will side with him to be too good for Changing Lanes and Openide. The selection won a similar staying handicap chase by an eased-down 17 lengths that day and Lawny Hill has clearly got he and the majority of her string spot on at the moment. Trip and ground suit and if he is able to hold that form he should be up to this more taxing task. Changing Lanes enjoys a trip and fast ground but was badly out of sorts from this mark at Ffos Las, and there was no obvious reason for that. Normally a consistent sort, it may just have been a blip and we will know more after this. Openide was put up 11lbs for scoring at Uttoxeter in July and the handicapper was clearly asking too much last time at Worcester, and so Brendan Duke switches him back to fences in the hope that he can take advantage of a 6lbs lower mark. Neil King's runners are in form and therefore Toni Alcala enters calculations, although he looks to be suffering for a wide margin Huntingdon success. Keltic Lord looks best of the rest, but Shammy Buskins can go in again.
Openide 8-1 (11-8) In rear, last after 9th, headway last, hanging left flat, never troubled leaders, 5th of 11, 11l behind Two Miles West (11-2) at Worcester 3m hcp hdl 0-125 (3) gs in Jul.
Changing Lanes 2-1fav (11-11) Held up mid-division, not fluent 5th, outpaced from 13th, 5th of 10, 14l behind Foxesbow (11-2) at Ffos Las 3m nov hcp chs 0-110 (4) gd in Aug.
Toni Alcala 40-1 (10-12) Held up mid-division, mistake 4th and soon pushed along, tailed off from 14th, pulled up before 2 out, in a race won by Chabrimal Minster (11-12) at Cartmel 3m 6f hcp ch 0-125 (3) sft in May, 12 ran.
Keltic Lord 22-1 (11-1) Held up in touch, lost place 6th, soon behind, pulled up 3 out, in a race won by Milesian King (10-11) at Fontwell 2m 6f hcp chs 0-110 (4) gd, 11 ran.
Cool Cliche 8-1 (10-9) In touch, ridden and weakened 13th, 5th of 16, well behind Sea Wall (11-7) at Ffos Las 3m hcp chs 0-115 (4) gd in Jun.
Maidstone Mixture (FR) 6-1 (10-10) Led, jumped slowly 1st, headed briefly approaching 5th, headed approaching 2 out, weakened after last, 5th of 10, 35l behind Reel Charmer (11-1) at Cartmel 2m 5f hcp chs 0-120 (3) hvy in Aug.
Shammy Buskins 11-4fav (10-5) Chased leaders, went second after 11th, led 13th, ridden clear approaching last, won at Stratford 2m 7f hcp chs 0-105 (4) gf in Aug beating Shanahan (11-13) by 17l, 7 ran.
The Black Lion (IRE) 25-1 (11-2) Held up towards rear, headway approaching 12th, chased winner approaching 2 out, one pace, 2nd of 15, 2 1/2l behind Sarahs Gift (10-7) at Newton Abbot 2m 5f hcp chs 0-95 (5) gf.
Particle (IRE) 12-1 (10-12) Mid-division, lost place approaching 4 out, rallied and headway before 2 out, stayed on, never troubled leaders, 3rd of 11, 8l behind Home (10-6) at Fontwell 2m 6f nov hcp hdl 0-110 (4) gf in Aug.
Dere Lyn 25-1 (9-11) Held up towards rear, behind from 5th, 7th of 12, well behind Silver Adonis (11-12) at Hereford 2m 3f hcp chs 0-115 (4) gf.