always well in rear, tailed off final 7f
took keen hold, led, headed 11f out, ridden 7f out, weakened 6f out
took keen hold, prominent, led 11f out, ridden and headed over 1f out, stayed on same pace, lost 2nd close home
held up well in rear, headway over 6f out, led over 1f out, stayed on well to come clear final 100 yards (no time taken)
always well in rear, tailed off
held up in touch, ridden over 3f out, weakened 2f out
tracked leaders, pushed along 9f out, losing ground over 7f out, weakened 5f out
took keen hold, prominent, ridden and edged left 2f out, every chance still over 1f out, no extra final 100 yards
held up in touch, ridden 4f out, 4th and one pace over 1f out, stayed on under pressure inside final furlong, went 2nd close home
held up towards rear, effort 7f out, weakened over 4f out
Alan Swinbank can close the meeting with an another winner. FIRST ROCK won easily here last week and will take the beating with further progress likely. Sheriff Hutton has been in fine form over fences but may find the drop back in trip against him and the same comment applies to Poker De Sivola. China House shaped well in a regular bumper at Hexham in April and is likely to have improved since, but bumper and hurdles winner Lightening Rod makes more appeal.
Borderhopper 33-1 (10-5) Held up in rear, not fluent 2nd, struggling after 4th, tailed off, 6th of 11, 42l behind Blenheim Brook (10-12) at Hexham 2m NH nov hdl 4-6yo (4) hvy in Nov.
China House (IRE) 11-4 (11-2) Tracked leaders, every chance over 4f out, ridden over 2f, kept on one pace, 2nd of 10, 2 1/4l behind Copper Sound (10-4) at Hexham 2m NH flat (6) hvy in Apr '08.
First Rock (IRE) 7-4fav (11-0) Mid-division and keen, tracked leaders after 3f, led 5f out, clear 3f out, eased towards finish, readily, won at Southwell 2m Nat Hunt Flat (4yo+) (AWT) (4) std beating Saint Denis (11-0) by 11l, 9 ran.
Lightening Rod 14-1 (10-4) Always in rear, weakened 4 out, soon tailed off, pulled up before next, in a race won by Quartz De Thaix (11-12) at Aintree 2m 4f hcp hdl (2) sft in Nov, 11 ran.
Mansonien L'as (FR) 16-1 (10-7) Tracked leaders, lost place from 10th, 7th of 10, 35l behind Columbus Secret (11-0) at Catterick 2m 3f mdn chs (5) gd.
Panama Canal (IRE) 10-1 (10-13) Led and soon clear, not fluent 5th, hit 9th, jumped right 5 out, headed 3 out, soon weakened, hit last, 4th of 7, 25l behind Smuglin (10-9) at Market Rasen 2m 6f beg chs (4) gs in Nov.
Poker De Sivola (FR) 8-1 (10-11) Held up towards rear, pushed along 10th, badly hampered 17th, never dangerous, pulled up before 4 out, in a race won by Merigo (10-0) at Ayr 4m hcp chs G3 (1) gd in Apr, 30 ran.
Sheriff Hutton (IRE) 7-1 (11-12) In touch, led after 2nd, made rest, hit 6th, joined 9th, ridden and hard pressed last, held on well under pressure flat, won at Kelso 2m 6f hcp chs 0-130 (3) gd in Nov beating Cast Iron Casey (11-1) by 1 1/4l, 8 ran.
Tee Shot (IRE) 7-1 (10-9) In rear, headway 8f out, weakened 6f out, soon behind, last of 8, well behind Valley Lad (11-0) at Ffos Las 1m 6f nhf (5) sft in Nov.
Moorlands Teri 6-1 (10-9) Held up in touch, jumped slowly 1st, chased winner approaching 11th until 4 out, well held 3rd from next, 3rd of 7, 20l behind Predictive (11-2) at Uttoxeter 2m 6f beg chs (4) sft in Nov.
St Enoder 16-1 (10-9) Held up towards rear, headway on outside over 3f out, hung left and weakened 2f out, 6th of 9, 24l behind Mr Jay Dee (11-2) at Southwell 2m NH flat (6) gd in Jul.
