raced keenly, tracked leaders, left chasing winner 2 out, every chance approaching last, ridden and kept on same pace flat
tracked winner, effort 3 out, 2 lengths down and ridden when fell next
jumped right, made all, hard pressed between last 2, ridden and stayed on gamely flat
held up, pushed along in last when fell 8th
held up, hit 6th, headway 4 out, effort when slightly hampered 2 out, every chance when not fluent last, ridder soon dropped whip, stayed on to go 2nd flat
held up outpaced 9th, soon beaten, behind when pulled up before 2 out
Disappointingly just six runners are due to line up for this novices' chase and, in the hope that he can translate hurdles form to fences, the vote goes to Gardasee, who is preferred to Sunisa and Chaninbar. The last mentioned remains a maiden but has shown ability over hurdles and ran an encouraging race on his debut over fences at Folkestone earlier this month. Ferdy Murphy's Beggars Cap would need to improve on hurdles form to take a hand here, while Cash Man is capable over timber but may have to settle for minor honours on his first start over fences. Chaninbar showed improved form for the switch to chasing last time and is another to consider. Cash Man looks to be going the right way and has to be considered but a bigger threat may come from Sunisa, who showed enough on her chasing debut at Catterick recently to suggest that she can win races over the larger obstacles. Gardasee could be different class to these though and he is preferred.
Beggars Cap (IRE) 14-1 (11-0) Not fluent, always towards rear, weakened from 8th, 5th of 10, well behind Gidam Gidam (10-11) at Bangor 2m 4f beg chs (4) sft in Dec.
Cash Man (IRE) 13-8fav (10-12) Led, mistake 4th, headed 2 out, no extra, 4th of 12, 7l behind Hue (11-7) at Sedgefield 2m 5f nov hdl (4) gd in Dec.
Gardasee (GER) 25-1 (10-13) Tracked leader, led approaching 3 out, headed approaching 2 out, weakened approaching last, 7th of 10, 16l behind St Pirran (10-0) at Kelso 2m 2f hcp hdl 0-130 (3) gf in May.
Third Empire 28-1 (11-1) Blundered and unseated rider at the 2nd in race won by Whatcanyasay (9-9) at Sedgefield 2m hcp chs 0-105 (4) gd in Dec, 9 ran.
Chaninbar (FR) 8-1 (10-7) Held up in touch, led 7th, clear after 3 out, headed flat, no extra, 2nd of 8, 3l behind Jean Le Poisson (11-0) at Folkestone 2m mdn chs (4) gs.
Sunisa (IRE) 20-1 (10-4) Held up in rear, headway approaching 5th, no impression next, 4th of 7, 13l behind Cedrus Libani (11-10) at Catterick 2m nov chs (3) gd in Dec.
