mistakes, always in rear, lost touch and pulled up approaching 14th
mid-division, outpaced 4 out, soon beaten, never near leaders
tracked leader, led 11th, headed 3 out, soon ridden and one pace, no chance with winner from next
in touch, led after 2nd, pecked and headed 11th, chased leader until lost place 14th, behind when pulled up before 3 out
mid-division, tracked leaders 10th, went 2nd 14th, led 3 out, pecked next, soon clear, easily
keen early, jumped big 1st, tracked leaders, mistake 8th, hit 11th, lost place 13th, under pressure when fell heavily 15th
always behind, mistake 10th, struggling when blundered and unseated rider 14th
mid-division, mistake 12th, soon lost place, behind when hampered 15th
raced keenly, led to after 2nd, in touch, dropped to mid-division 5th, headway when blundered 14th, chased leading pair next, outpaced 4 out, no chance from next
MAD VICTOR is on a hot streak and is preferred here to Young Collier and Took My Eye. The market is often a useful tool when assessing hunter chase contests and many a gamble is well placed. However on the bare facts it looks like the prolific point-to-point winner Mad Victor is the horse to beat. He was well clear at the line at Chaddesley Corbett last month and with the ground not a problem he should run well. Kinfayre Boy's second to Predateur at Leicester this month was a fine comeback to the track and he will have no problem with this longer trip, Took My Eye will be fit from recent point-to-point outings and comes here on the back of a win at Higham, whilst Jim Edwards has been off for almost a year and might just need the run. Young Collier has plenty to find with Kinfayre Boy on that Leicester run, so a bigger threat may be Thistlecraft. He looked held when unseating his jockey at Fakenham last time out but on his old form he looks to have a chance. True Friday is also considered after a fair second between the flags at Garthorpe earlier in the month, when doing his best work at the line. Not a race to get too heavily involved in, but the vote goes to the in-form Mad Victor.
Kinfayre Boy 25-1 (11-9) Took keen hold, behind, mistake 4th, stayed on from 3 out, went 2nd flat, ran on, no chance with winner, 2nd of 9, 8l behind Predateur (11-13) at Leicester 2m hts chs (6) gd.
Took My Eye (IRE) 11-4 (12-5) Held up; led app 2 out; ro wl, won at Higham 3m ptp gf beating The Accordion Man (12-5) by 1l, 6 ran.
Goscar Rock (IRE) 5-2 (12-0) Led til hdd cl home, 2nd of 5, nk behind Lotta Presents (12-0) at Cottenham 3m ptp gf.
Jim Edwards (IRE) 3-1 (12-7) Led til hdd 3 out; btn nxt, 2nd of 8, 8l behind Worship The Stars (12-7) at Bitterley 3m ptp in Apr.
Mad Victor (IRE) 3-10 (11-0) Led 11; drew clr aft nxt; v easy, won at Chaddesley Corbett 3m ptp in Feb beating Whistling Straits (11-0) by 8l, 4 ran.
Nexthingwas (IRE) 100-1 (11-7) Tracked leader, mistake 1st, led next, headed 12th, blundered and weakend 14th, pulled up before 3 out, in a race won by Oranger (11-9) at Stratford 2m 7f nov hts chs (5) gf, 13 ran.
Thistlecraft (IRE) 12-1 (11-7) Always close up, ridden and effort 12th, chased winner 3out, held when jockey became unbalanced and unseated rider soon after 2 out, in a race won by Bantry Bere (11-11) at Fakenham 3m hts chs (6) gs in Feb, 5 ran.
Young Collier 11-4 (11-9) Prominent, led after 4th until 5th, weakened 8th, tailed off, 5th of 9, well behind Predateur (11-13) at Leicester 2m hts chs (6) gd.
True Friday 7-2 (12-0) Chsd ldrs; kpt on 3 out; nrst fin, 2nd of 6, 3l behind Teeton Bollinger (12-4) at Garthorpe 3m ptp gf.
