took keen hold, held up in close 4th, tracked leading pair 9th, went 2nd next, upsides 2 out, led travelling well between last 2, 1 length ahead and awkward last, driven run-in, headed and no extra last 50 yards
hung left most of way, tracked leader until approaching 2nd, handy 3rd until 9th, weakening when hit 3 out, pulled up before next
hit 1st, tracked leading pair, went 2nd approaching 2nd, hit 3rd and 5th, lost 2nd 10th, chased leading pair until after 3 out, soon pushed along and weakened
led, dived at 6th, pushed along going out on final circuit after 8th, pushed along before joined 2 out, ridden and narrowly headed between last 2, 1 length down last, rallied gamely to lead again final 50 yards
always last, tailed off 3 out, pulled up before next
held up in close 5th, headway into 3rd after 3 out, pushed along and readily outpaced before next, no chance with leading duo
LASER LIGHT won a maiden hurdle at Chepstow before suffering a narrow-margin defeat in a more competitive novice hurdle at Ascot last month. That’s the best form on offer by a long chalk and he’ll be a short-price to defy a penalty. Nobuttaboy made a promising start when runner-up over these hurdles last month and Bubba N Squeak was runner-up at Market Rasen in October. Most of the remainder are point-to-point winners but The Oppidan makes a belated racecourse debut for David Loder.
Laser Light (IRE) 5-4fav (11-3) Held up in last pair, steady headway 4 out, 3rd after next, pushed along and went 2nd 2 out, ridden to lead briefly run-in, no extra towards finish, eased, 2nd of 8, 3/4l behind Elegant Escape (11-3) at Ascot 2m 6f (2) gs in Nov.
Call Me Ben (IRE) 9-1 (11-0) Jumped left and slowly, behind, tailed off 6th, pulled up after, at Warwick 2m 5f mdn (4) gs in Apr.
Next Level (IRE) 66-1 (10-12) Held up in mid-division, not fluent 4th, behind 4 out, pulled up before 2 out, at Towcester 2m 5f (4) gs in Nov.
Nobuttaboy (IRE) 11-1 (10-12) Tracked leaders, every chance and mistake 2 out, ridden before last, kept on, 2nd of 11, 1 3/4l behind Ballymalin (11-5) at Southwell 3m (4) gd in Nov.
The Oppidan (IRE) 4-1 (12-0) Hdwy 10; kpt on wl 2 out; nt rch wnr, 2nd of 7, nk behind Tommo (12-0) at Milborne St Andrew 2m 4f mdn in Jan.
Indian Native (IRE) 22-1 (10-10) Tracked leaders, 2nd after 7th until before 3 out, soon ridden, weakened before 2 out, 5th of 6, 25 1/4l behind Miss Spent (10-10) at Huntingdon 2m 4f (4) gs in Nov.
Bubba N Squeak (FR) 20-1 (10-12) Tracked leaders, took keen hold, left in 2nd at 1st, left in lead at 4th, not fluent last, headed flat, kept on same pace, 2nd of 4, 2l behind Doesyourdogbite (10-12) at Market Rasen 2m 5f (4) gd in Oct.
