held up in last pair, not fluent 3rd, steady headway to 3rd at 17th until blundered 2 out, soon outpaced, ralllied to 3rd in closing stages
chased leaders, headway to lead briefly 14th, pressed winner until soon after 2 out, well held in 3rd when blundered last, weakened to 4th in closing stages
held up in rear, mistake and struggling 13th, never on terms
led, briefly headed 14th, came clear after 2 out, easily
in touch in 5th, not fluent 11th, ridden approaching 16th, no impression from 4 out
held up in rear, mistake, injured and pulled up after 5th
chased leaders until badly outpaced and lost place 17th, rallied approaching 2 out, went 2nd approaching last, no chance with winner
chased leader until 14th, chased leaders, mistake 16th, lost 3rd next, soon behind, tailed off when blundered 3 out
Call Me Mulligan has won three times over regulation fences and twice between the flags but hasn't raced since June last year. SOUDAIN looks the progressive one in this and A P McCoy's presence in the saddle is an added bonus. He stays well, winning the Lincolnshire National at Market Rasen on Boxing Day, and probably came up against a well-handicapped rival in Toby Belch at Doncaster subsequently. Frontier Boy alternates between hurdles and fences nowadays but is a course and distance winner over the larger obstacles and must have some sort of chance but Crafti Bookie is still high enough in the weights and Tim The Chair has become disappointing. The others probably need to improve to get involved.
Crafti Bookie (IRE) 14-1 (11-1) Mid-division, weakened from 3 out, 8th of 14, 45l behind Relax (11-10) at Doncaster 3m hcp chs 0-125 (3) sft.
Soudain (FR) 5-2 (10-10) Soon tracked leaders, took keen hold, led 10th, hit 12th, headed before 4 out, every chance 3 out, ridden before 2 out, one pace, 2nd of 6, 17l behind Toby Belch (11-2) at Doncaster 3m 2f nov hcp chs 0-120 (4) gs in Jan.
Call Me Mulligan (IRE) 3-1 (11-11) Led early, tracked leader, hit 6th, led again next, blundered 13th, clear from last, stayed on well, easily, won at Cartmel 3m 2f hts chs (6) gd in Jun beating Think Lucky (11-9) by 28l, 7 ran.
Jurisdiction 9-1 (11-12) Led until 1st, given reminder, led before 3rd, headed 4th, led 6th, ridden and headed 2 out, soon no impression on winner, stayed on same pace, 2nd of 6, 7l behind Alpha One (11-7) at Sedgefield 2m 6f hcp chs 0-115 (4) gs in Nov.
Tim The Chair (IRE) 33-1 (10-9) Tracked leaders, not fluent 6th, mistake 12th, weakened 2 out, 6th of 15, 48l behind Alderluck (11-5) at Bangor 3m 6f hcp chs 0-120 (4) hvy.
Angel Sun (FR) 8-1 (10-12) Held up in touch, blundered 3rd, headway on outside 4 out, challenged next, hit 2 out, every chance last, ridden and kept on flat, held when lost 2nd near finish, 3rd of 10, 1 3/4l behind Everaard (11-4) at Musselburgh 3m hcp chs 0-115 (4) sft in Jan.
Heez A Steel (IRE) 13-2 (10-12) Tracked leader until approaching 11th, last when mistake 14th, behind after next, 5th of 7, 29l behind Overquest (10-12) at Ayr 3m 1f hcp chs 0-120 (4) sft in Nov.
Frontier Boy (IRE) 9-1 (9-5) Took keen hold, chased leaders, went 2nd after 8th, led before 3 out, ridden and joined 2 out, headed soon after, no extra and well held when carried head high before last, weakened to 3rd flat, 3rd of 12, 8l behind Too Cool To Fool (10-0) at Ayr 3m hcp hdl 0-120 (4) sft in Jan.
