led until approaching 3rd, tracked leading pair, not fluent 7th, blundered 9th, struggled 4 out, hit 3 out and next, stayed on to take poor 3rd near finish
held up in 4th, ridden and struggling before 4 out
not fluent, rear, blundered 9th, stayed on to take 3rd 3 out, lost 3rd flat
took keen hold, tracked leading pair, went 2nd before 3rd, bumped 8th, ridden approaching 3 out, hit 2 out, driven and stayed on gamely flat, led last strides
took keen hold, slight lead before 3rd where mistake, jumped left 8th, hit 3 out and next, strongly pressed flat, headed final strides
A really good race in prospect here and ASTARADOR is taken to score while Cheating Chance and Araldur look likely to emerge as the main dangers. The Howard Johnson-trained selection relishes the cut in the ground and although beaten in a couple of hurdles visits here he has won around the similarly stiff right-handed track at Carlisle (as he did on his seasonal return). He was a very decent sort of hurdler but always looked likely to improve for a fence and with his yard going well we will side with him. Cheating Chance is another representing a bang-in-form yard and he is on a four-timer here that stretches back to a novices' hurdle win in April. Two subsequent chase successes have marked him out as one to follow, and although he looks like good ground is his preferred conditions - he has won in Ireland with plenty of cut so he should handle this. Conversely, Araldur will relish the juice underfoot and two recent wide-margin wins have marked him out as one of Alan King's potential future star inmates. He is only four but could not have won much more easily at either Chepstow or Warwick and has to be taken seriously on his first try in top company. Chrysander has jumping issues that need ironing out, especially if he is to be effective over track's notorious Railway Fences, and he has a bit to find at these weights. A small field then but nonetheless this is an interesting race.
Astarador (FR) 6-5fav (11-8) Led, blundered and headed 4 out, chased winner from 2 out, rallied after last, kept on, 2nd of 10, 2l behind Crocodiles Rock (11-2) at Carlisle 2m nov chs (3) hvy in Oct.
Cheating Chance (IRE) 7-2 (11-6) Held up, left 2nd and slightly hampered 5th, hit 4 out, led approaching last, ridden out, won at Ascot 2m 1f nov chs (3) gd in Nov beating Psychomodo (11-6) by 6l, 5 ran.
Chrysander 20-1 (11-10) Held up and fell 4 out in race won by Poquelin (11-7) at Cheltenham 2m nov chs (2) gd in Oct, 10 ran.
Araldur (FR) 9-2 (11-4) Led to 7th, stayed challenging, led 2 out, driven clear flat, won at Warwick 2m 4yo nov chs (3) sft in Nov beating Chapoturgeon (10-10) by 17l, 4 ran.
Free World (FR) 5-4fav (10-7) Made all, hit 2 out, kept on well, pushed out, won at Sandown 2m beg chs (3) gs in Nov beating Gauvain (11-1) by 8l, 8 ran.
