tracked leading pair, went 2nd 5th, ridden and outpaced before the last, no chance with easy winner
raced keenly, made all, not fluent 3 out, hit next, pushed well clear before the last, easily
chased winner until 5th, lost 3rd next, pushed along and struggling when mistake 8th, soon lost touch, tailed off
held up in last pair, went 3rd 6th, pushed along after 3 out, outpaced and no chance with 1st two before next
took keen hold in rear, poor 4th before 8th, tailed off
Bells 'N' Banjos had shown promise prior to beating the long odds-on Champagne Present at Southwell so that improvement wasn't entirely unexpected. But he'll probably need a bit more to beat CARNINGLI off level weights. Rebecca Curtis' charge was out of his depth in the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham but this slight drop in distance will help and he'd beaten a couple of subsequent winners at Chepstow earlier. The remaining trio are making their hurdling debuts and are best watched.
Bells 'n' Banjos (IRE) 13-2 (11-1) Held up in touch, chased leader from 5th, ridden before 2 out, led before last, kept on well towards finish, won at Southwell 2m 4f nh nov hdl (4) gf in Mar beating Champagne Present (11-7) by 2 3/4l, 7 ran.
Carningli (IRE) 66-1 (11-7) Mid-division on outside, lost place 4th, reminder after next, hampered 8th, well behind 3 out, pulled up before next, in a race won by Martello Tower (11-7) at Cheltenham 3m nov hdl Grade 1 (1) sft in Mar, 19 ran.
Wootsteps (IRE) 100-1 (10-7) Tracked leaders, lost place before 5th, lost touch from next, pulled up before 7th, in a race won by Nightline (11-0) at Southwell 2m 4f mdn hdl (5) sft in Dec, 8 ran.
Catwalk Babe (IRE) 16-1 (10-11) Chased leader until pushed along 4f out, chased leaders, weakened over 2f out, 5th of 9, 15l behind Armchair Theatre (11-6) at Ludlow 2m NH flat (5) gs in Mar.
Weston Super Mare 50-1 (11-0) Pressed leader, ridden 5f out, weakened over 4f out, soon behind, tailed off, 11th of 12, 33l behind Legend Lady (10-6) at Taunton 2m 1f mares n h flat (6) gs in Mar.
