pressed leader, led 6th, blundered 3 out, headed before last, soon ridden, kept on same pace flat
tracked leading trio, mistake 4 out, weakened next
tracked leading pair, went 2nd 8th, ridden after 2 out, led before last, shaken up and came clear flat
led, not fluent and headed 6th, chased leader, hit 7th, lost 2nd next, brief rally 2 out, kept on same pace before last
held up, pecked 1st, mistake 8th, went modest 4th 3 out, kept on same pace flat
Drumlang has won twice in quick succession and is back in form but he'll need to improve again to shrug off a double penalty in this. No Likey failed to cope with his new mark at Worcester last month, though did have subsequent Bangor scorer Nikos Extra behind at Uttoxeter earlier and is entitled to confirm that form on only 2lb worse terms. Engai won over course and distance in May but has hardly raised a gallop since. ULIS DE VASSY hasn't raced since October but fitness is unlikely to be an issue and the six-year-old still has plenty of scope over fences. The booking of Richard Johnson is a major positive.
Drumlang (IRE) 9-2 (10-12) Tracked leader, led 2 out, kept on, driven out, won at Cartmel 2m 5f hcp chs 0-130 (3) gd beating Violets Boy (10-9) by 2 1/4l, 7 ran.
No Likey (IRE) 6-4fav (11-1) Tracked leaders, driven 3 out, effort next, not fluent last, ridden and no impression with front pair flat, 3rd of 5, 8l behind Sedgemoor Express (11-1) at Worcester 2m hcp chs 0-140 (3) gf in Jul.
Nikos Extra (FR) 11-2 (11-7) Tracked leaders, mistake 6th, led 8th, clear 3 out, soon driven, stayed on well, won at Bangor 2m 1f hcp chs 0-115 (4) gd beating Gracchus (11-6) by 4 1/2l, 7 ran.
Ulis De Vassy (FR) 5-1 (11-1) Held up mid-division, blundered 4 out, soon outpaced, 5th of 7, 22l behind Notarfbad (11-4) at Newton Abbot 2m nov hcp chs 0-125 (3) gd in Oct.
Engai (GER) 12-1 (11-2) Jumped right at times, tracked leader, led 4th, clear after 6th until next, weakened after 2 out, 3rd of 6, 23l behind Bullet Street (11-10) at Newton Abbot 2m hcp chs 0-120 (4) gf.
