in touch, headway to track leaders approaching 6th, narrow lead after 3 out, ridden and kept on under pressure approaching last, held on well towards finish, driven out
held up towards rear, headway 3 out, weakening when jumped left last
held up towards rear, blundered 3rd, weakened approaching 3 out
held up towards rear, tailed off approaching 3 out, pulled up before 2 out
led until after 2nd, led again 4 out, headed narrowly after 3 out, remained close up until no extra last 50 yards
tracked leader, led after 2nd, headed 4 out, weakened quickly and pulled up after 3 out
held up mid-division, headway to go in touch approaching 4 out, weakened after next
tracked leaders, weakened approaching 6th
held up mid-division, headway to chase leaders 3 out, chased leading pair and held when not fluent last, one pace
held up in touch, ridden after 3 out, no impression
Nick Gifford's WIZARD OF ODDS isn't the most straightforward, but if running to his best could be good enough to beat these, although Coup Royale and Minneapolis are also worthy of consideration. The selection is dropping down in trip, and given the uphill finish here and the way he laboured over two and a half miles last time out, that would be a positive. He's been known to play up previously , and is lightly raced, this being just his eighth run since winning on debut in a bumper more than three years ago. Coup Royale is the only other runner here to have a hurdles' rating. He stayed on well over further last time out, and is getting the hang of hurdling, his three previous runs all coming in testing conditions. The yard are in great heart too following a Cheltenham winner. Minneapolis is an interesting runner; a former Aidan O'Brien winner on the flat, who's run in group one races as Henrythenavigator's pacesetter, he's now owned and trained by Alison Batchelor. It's his second run over hurdles after one try out in Ireland, when he looked set for a win before stopping to nothing virtually after a mistake. With a number making their hurdling debuts, the market should be watched closely, but tentatively we'll go with Wizard of Odds.
Coup Royale (FR) 7-1 (11-1) Mid-division, headway from 2 out, chased leader well before last until before last, stayed in 3rd, kept on under pressure flat, 3rd of 12, 1l behind You're So Vain (11-1) at Folkestone 2m 1f mdn hdl (4) hvy.
General Ting (IRE) 6-1 (11-1) Mid-division, pulled hard, blundered 2nd, headway approaching 5th, weakened before 2 out, eased, mistake last, 7th of 13, 29l behind Haarth Sovereign (11-1) at Huntingdon 2m mdn hdl (4) gs.
Minneapolis 5-1 (11-4) Soon led, clear 4 out, slight mistake 2 out and soon headed, no impression after, dropped to 4th on line, 4th of 15, 7l behind Jettymarc (11-7) at Tramore 2m 4yo mdn hdl gd in Apr.
Mr Fantozzi (IRE) 10-1 (9-0) With leader after 1f, tracked leaders, ridden over 1f out, soon weakened, 7th of 9, 7l behind Pipers Piping (8-11) at Wolverhampton 7f hcp 0-52 (6) pol in Feb (flat).
Whaxaar (IRE) 11-2 (8-9) Held up in rear, took keen hold, struggling over 3f out, tailed off, last of 9, well behind Dani's Girl (9-7) at Kempton 2m hcp 0-75 (5) pol in Dec (flat).
Wizard of Odds 10-1 (10-13) Took keen hold, in touch, led approaching 6th where mistake, headed before 2 out, weakened flat, 3rd of 14, 12l behind Talenti (11-2) at Huntingdon 2m 4f mdn hdl (4) gs.
Law And Order 50-1 (10-12) Held up, ridden and outpaced 3 out, soon weakened, pulled up before next, in a race won by Causeway King (10-12) at Warwick 2m 3yo nov hdl (4) gd in Nov, 10 ran.
Mid Wicket (USA) 66-1 (10-7) Held up in rear, some headway after 5th, not fluent next, went modest 4th closing stages, 4th of 11, 33l behind Accordingtoemandem (11-1) at Stratford 2m mdn hdl (4) gd.
Miss Mamma Wagga (IRE) 80-1 (10-9) Not fluent, soon behind, 11th of 13, 38l behind Like A Hurricane (11-2) at Fontwell 2m 2f mdn hdl (5) gd.
Pool Of Knowledge (FR) 16-1 (10-12) Mistake and unseated rider 1st, in a race won by Rougham (11-5) at Newbury 2m 4yo nov hdl (4) gs, 5 ran.
Sirjosh 13-2 (8-5) Steadied start, in rear, never nearer, 7th of 13, 8l behind Bold Diva (8-10) at Southwell 7f hcp 0-52 (6) fbs (flat).
Alittlemoreflair 12-1 (10-2) Tracked leaders, jumped slowly 6th, under pressure next, driven to challenge 3 out, soon every chance, one pace approaching last, 3rd of 6, 2l behind Marsool (11-5) at Huntingdon 2m 3yo nov hdl (4) gf in Oct.
Confide In Me 66-1 (10-8) Raced keenly, led, not fluent 2nd, soon headed, lost place after 3rd, closed 5th, weakened approaching 2 out, 7th of 15, well behind Captain Chris (10-12) at Kempton 2m nh nov hdl (4) gd.
