in touch, blundered and unseated rider 13th
towards rear, headway 15th, ridden to chase leader 4 out, every chance 3 out, weakened next
tracked leader until 4 out, ridden next, kept on one pace
led, clear 6th, ridden 3 out, headed last, kept on
held up, blundered 5 out, not recover
tracked leaders and keen, ridden and weakened 3 out, mistake last
held up, headway 17th, ridden 3 out, soon held
towards rear, headway 13th, jumped right 14th, weakened next, soon tailed off
held up and always going well, headway 4 out, led on bit last, ran on
Can't Buy Time would prefer better ground, Something Wells looks high enough in the weights, whilst New Little Bric has become disappointing; preference then is for ACCORDING TO JOHN ahead of the old-timer Monkerhostin. Robert Thornton takes the ride on Nicky Richards' inmate for the first time this afternoon. The nine-year-old is returning from a lengthy lay-off but he has gone very well fresh in the past and will have no worries about the ground today. The step back up in trip is in his favour and racing off a mark of 135 he looks the value in the line-up. Sound Accord makes his handicap debut today; he has won a third of his career starts and looks sure to go on to good things over fences however Chiaro has let down the form of his win at Fontwell last time. Eric's Charm is not straightforward but if he puts his best foot forward then he could easily be well-treated on this mark of 140, however the same owners also saddle Monkerhostin. Despite getting on in years, Philip Hobbs' fantastic servant ran a blinder last time behind Niche Market and would have been hard to beat had the ground been good. Gungadu looks impossibly handicapped at the moment and is paying for a successful spell this time last year. A return to fences for Lacdoudal could see an improved performance, but it is According To John who is taken to lead them home.
Gungadu 15-2 (11-12) Reminders 11th, always towards rear, 8th of 14, 22l behind Niche Market (9-9) at Ascot 3m lst hcp chs (1) gs in Dec.
Monkerhostin (FR) 14-1 (11-7) Mid-division, mistake 7th, went left 10th, headway approaching 15th, ridden after 3f out, chased winner approaching last, stayed on well, just failed, 2nd of 14, hd behind Niche Market (9-9) at Ascot 3m lst hcp chs (1) gs in Dec.
Lacdoudal (FR) 28-1 (10-5) Mid-division, ridden after 3 out, weakened next, 13th of 16, well behind Fair Along (11-5) at Cheltenham 3m hcp hdl (2) gs in Dec.
Eric's Charm (FR) 20-1 (11-1) Led, ridden and headed before 3 out, no extra and kept on one pace, 8th of 18, 20l behind Preists Leap (10-10) at Gowran Park 3m hcp chs hvy.
New Little Bric (FR) 9-1 (11-9) Mid-division, headway 8th, soon disputing 3rd, every chance when hit 4 out, soon ridden, kept on same pace, 5th of 13, 16l behind Classic Fiddle (10-12) at Newbury 2m 4f hcp chs 0-145 (2) gs in Nov.
Something Wells (FR) 17-2 (10-10) Mid-division, headway 11th, chased winner from 3 out, hit and no further impression, 2nd of 17, 9l behind Miss Mitch (10-5) at Ascot 2m 5f hcp chs (2) gs.
According To John (IRE) 2-1fav (11-9) Chased leaders, ridden 11th, soon weakened, 5th of 7, 38l behind New Alco (11-2) at Carlisle 2m 4f Grad Ch (2) gd in Nov '07.
Sound Accord (IRE) 5-2 (11-0) Chased leaders, challenged from 12th, led 3 out, stayed on, ridden out, won at Fontwell 2m 6f beg chs (4) gs in Dec beating Chiaro (11-0) by 6l, 6 ran.
Can't Buy Time (IRE) 8-1 (10-12) Held up, tracked leaders 10th, hit 5 out, led 4 out, headed between last 2, one pace, 3rd of 11, 3 1/2l behind Malko De Beaumont (10-2) at Haydock 3m hcp chs 0-145 (2) sft in Dec.
