Penny Pictures and Mythical King both have the ability, judged by their form over hurdles, to suggest that they should be more than capable of taking a race of this nature but neither looks the most assured of jumpers and a safer bet looks to be Idole First, who is taken to open his account over hurdles. The selection is entitled to come on for his belated reappearance behind the useful looking Green Tango (a winner since) at Hereford earlier this month and, if translating his hurdles form to fences, should be too good for his rivals. Brendan Powell's Magnesium has shown ability but faces no easy task today and of more interest may be the Paul Nicholls-trained Nanga Parbat, who got no further than the second fence on his chasing debut but receives all the allowances and it is interesting that his handler perseveres with him over the larger obstacles having looked to still be reasonably well treated over hurdles. Latin Queen is another worthy of a mention but Idole First has an obvious chance and he gets the vote.
Idole First (IRE) 11-4 (11-3) Held up towards rear, headway 8th, struggling from 10th, 6th of 14, well behind Green Tango (11-3) at Hereford 2m 3f beg chs (4) sft.
Lesdream 25-1 (11-1) Always towards rear, lost touch after 9th, 9th of 14, well behind Lough Derg (11-6) at Exeter 2m 7f beg chs (D) gs in Dec.
Magnesium (USA) 9-2fav (11-12) Prominent, every chance after 3 out, soon ridden, weakened 2 out, 3rd of 11, 16l behind Kayceecee (11-2) at Warwick 2m nov hcp hdl 0-110 (4) sft.
Mythical King (IRE) 25-1 (11-2) Jumped left, mid-division, headway approaching 3 out, ridden when mistake 2 out, soon weakened, 5th of 9, 24l behind Billyvoddan (11-12) at Leicester 2m 4f nov chs (3) gs.
Penny Pictures (IRE) 25-1 (11-3) Prominent, led 8th to 2 out, weakened approaching last, 8th of 14, 24l behind Attorney General (11-12) at Cheltenham 3m hcp hdl (2) gs.
Smart Savannah 14-1 (10-11) In touch, pecked 4th, soon lost touch, stayed on from 3 out, went 3rd flat, 3rd of 8, 10l behind See You Sometime (10-11) at Fontwell 2m 2f beg chs (E) gd in Nov '04.
Latin Queen (IRE) 33-1 (10-6) Mid-division, ridden, stayed on from 4 out, 3rd of 10, 22l behind Lustral Du Seuil (11-4) at Chepstow 2m 3f beg chs (D) gs in Dec.
Nanga Parbat (FR) 3-1fav (10-5) Mistake and unseated rider at the 2nd in race won by Royal Hector (11-12) at Taunton 2m 3f nov hcp chs 0-130 (3) gd, 8 ran.
