held up, ridden and headway approaching 2 out, kept on one pace flat
mid-division, ridden and effort approaching 2 out, one pace
mid-division, headway 3 out, ridden and challenged approaching 2 out, joined leader last, led flat, driven out
behind, pulled hard behind, headway 4th, led 5th, headed 6th, soon ridden and weakened
led 2nd to 5th, led 6th, ridden 2 out, headed after last, not pace of winner flat
mid-division, headway approaching 2 out, soon ridden, kept on from last
led and jumped very slowly 1st, not fluent and headed 2nd, soon lost place, ridden and rallied approaching 2 out, ran on from last
pulled early and chased leader, ridden 3 out, weakened approaching 2 out
in touch, reminder 3rd, ridden after 6th and lost touch, pulled up after 3 out
prominent, ridden after 3 out, one pace
always behind, no impression
prominent, ridden and weakened 3 out
Nonrunner
Nonrunner
MOUNT BENGER can lower the colours of King Caine and Celticello en route to gaining a fourth success in five starts. Mount Benger has scaled greater heights than this since joining Jim Best but the handicapper has collared him prompting this return to claiming company. He's been kept busy so there's the concern that the well could run dry but he rates the one to beat. Paul Nicholls doesn't run too many in claiming company and has four winners from just nine runners in the past five seasons. King Caine once beat Arkle fancy Planet Of Sound and it's really only his last two efforts that have been really bad. This is a marked drop in class but he has to prove that he still has the desire. Celticello won a Leicester seller last time but has no easy task dropping back in trip giving weight to all bar one whilst the likes of Supsonic and Silver Sister will need to be at the top of their game. King Caine has to be feared but we'd rather go with Mount Benger who has nothing to prove.
Celticello (IRE) 10-1 (11-3) Held up in rear, raced keenly, headway going well approaching 3 out, shaken up to lead flat, ran on, won at Leicester 2m 4f sll hdl (4) sft in Dec beating Anglicisme (10-12) by 2 1/2l, 14 ran.
Power Elite (IRE) 50-1 (11-12) Mid-division, ridden 3 out, never troubled leaders, 7th of 13, 46l behind Oldrik (10-8) at Huntingdon 2m hcp hdl 0-125 (3) gs in Dec.
King Caine (IRE) 7-2jt-fav (11-12) Mid-division, headway after 5th, effort approaching 3 out, one pace, 6th of 11, 30l behind Suntini (10-1) at Exeter 2m 1f hcp hdl 0-125 (3) sft in Dec.
Monsieur (FR) 40-1 (10-8) Held up in rear, well beaten before 3 out, 11th of 16, well behind Tender Falcon (11-3) at Hereford 2m 1f hcp hdl 0-120 (3) sft in Dec.
Mount Benger 8-1 (11-5) In rear, headway 6th, driven and one pace from 2 out, 7th of 17, 15l behind Greenbelt (10-6) at Catterick 2m 3f hcp hdl 0-130 (3) gs in Jan.
L'Eau Du Nil (FR) 9-2 (11-9) Held up towards rear, ridden and hit 6th, headway under pressure from 3 out, went 3rd soon after last, no chance with front pair, 3rd of 14, 2l behind Dee Cee Elle (10-5) at Ludlow 2m sll hdl (5) sft in Jan.
Supsonic 14-1 (11-6) Chased leader, led 6th, headed approaching 3 out, weakened from next, 6th of 14, 8l behind Dee Cee Elle (10-5) at Ludlow 2m sll hdl (5) sft in Jan.
Posh Emily 12-1 (11-1) Mid-division, outpaced 3 out, 7th of 18, 30l behind Gold Reef (11-5) at Wincanton 2m nov hcp hdl 0-100 (4) gs in Dec.
Lady Llanover 16-1 (8-5) Always behind, 11th of 13, 19l behind Ben Bacchus (8-6) at Kempton 1m 4f app hcp 0-70 (6) pol in Jan (Flat).
Silver Sister 8-1 (10-7) Tracked leaders until lost place 7th, ridden after next, weakened before 3 out, tailed off, 6th of 8, well behind Master Medic (11-3) at Fontwell 2m 4f nov chs (4) gd in Oct.
Tarabela 100-1 (10-4) Always in rear, 12th of 16, 36l behind Pause And Clause (11-2) at Chepstow 2m nhf (6) gs in Nov.
Trigger Tease (IRE) 33-1 (11-7) Lost tch 11; pulled up in race won by Winning Connection (11-7) at Flete Park 3m ptp gd in May, 11 ran.
Ouste (FR) 8-1 (10-12) Held up, headway 7th, close enough when mistake 2 out and rider lost irons, soon beaten, 9th of 12, 33l behind Swift Sailor (10-12) at Fontwell 2m 4f sll hdl (3) gs in Dec.
Lilac 14-1 (11-6) Raced keenly, prominent, led 6th until approaching 12th, weakened after 15th, 4th of 13, 16l behind Caislean Na Deirge (10-13) at Ludlow 3m amt hcp chs 0-100 (4) gf in Oct '07.
