took keen hold, led 3rd, jumped right 11th, blundered badly and nearly unseated rider 12th, stayed prominent, chased winner 4 out, no chance when blundered 2 out, lost moderate 2nd last
led to 3rd, stayed tracking leader, chasing leaders when blundered 4 out, stayed on to take moderate 2nd last
tended to jump right, close up, 5th and well in touch when blundered and unseated rider 14th
in touch, jumped right 7th, no chance before 3 out, tailed off when blundered last
in rear when mistake and unseated rider 10th
chased leaders, allowed to lead 12th, clear 2 out, unchallenged
Admiral Peary, Stavordale Lad and Sweet Bird look the three to concentrate on in this novices chase and the vote is given to Admiral Peary. The selection won in good style last time out when beating Global Challenge and although he has a penalty for that win he looks sure to improve and under similar conditions here he will be hard to beat. Stavordale Lad rates the main danger on his best form of a couple of seasons ago but he may need the run after a 670 day absence and for that reason he is over looked. Sweet Bird is another last time out winner that could go well but this is more competitive and he will need to improve to score. Of the remainder State Of Play has won his last two races in good style and is another that could go well as he gets all the weight for age allowances but this represents a sharp rise in class and for the winner we return to Admiral Peary.
Admiral Peary (IRE) 12-1 (11-2) Tracked leaders, upsides when not fluent 7th, led after 9th, ridden after 2 out, not fluent last, stayed on, won at Exeter 3m hcp hdl 0-125 (D) hvy in May beating Global Challenge (11-12) by 3l, 7 ran.
Howrwenow (IRE) 6-1 (11-0) Always behind, mistake 6th, tailed off when pulled up 5 out in race won by Red Georgie (11-0) at Chepstow 3m beg chs (D) sft in Oct, 8 ran.
Stavordale Lad (IRE) 6-4jt-fav (11-3) Prominent, led after 10th until after 12th, 3rd and weakening when fell 5 out in race won by Janus Du Cochet (11-3) at Exeter 2m 7f beg chs (E) gs in Jan '04, 10 ran.
Sweet Bird (FR) 25-1 (10-13) Held up, headway 11th, left 2nd 3 out, ridden and led approaching 2 out, ridden out, won at Huntingdon 3m hcp chs 0-105 (E) gs beating Sitting Duck (10-3) by 8l, 6 ran.
Geography (IRE) 33-1 (9-8) Tracked leader until weakened 4 out, 6th of 8, 32l behind Miko de Beauchene (11-8) at Lingfield 2m 7f hcp hdl 0-115 (D) hvy.
State of Play 11-1 (10-10) In rear, mistake 2th, headway to track leader 7th, mistake 3 out, left in lead and hampered 2 out, soon clear, won at Chepstow 3m nov chs (D) gs in Oct beating Koumba (10-12) by 7l, 10 ran.
