led until jumped slowly 1st, with leaders, reminder 5th, ridden after 3 out, clear 3rd when weakened approaching next, tailed off
jumped slowly 1st, chased leaders, reminder next, struggling 6th, tailed off 8th, pulled up before 3 out
tracked leaders, went 2nd 3 out, challenged towards stands side rail next, switched right between last 2, ridden to lead flat, kept on
led 1st, hit next, mistake 7th, ridden and edged left between last 2, went right last, kept on until ridden and headed flat, no extra
held up in touch when mistake and unseated rider 7th
tracked leaders, reminder 9th, ridden after 3 out, weakened quickly and pulled up before next
An ordinary-looking contest and THORNCLIFFER must be fancied to add to his victory at Wetherby off a 5lb higher mark. Today's rival Overafrica fell in that race and Ollie Garner again takes 7lb off Derek Shaw's charge which means he still gets weight from largely out-of-form rivals. Roseini is a possible exception as she was only beaten two lengths over 2m4f here last time. Gorgehous Lliege and Gers Benefit were both fourth last time but need to improve to figure in this.
Overafrica (IRE) 4-1 (11-6) Led to 10th, in 2nd when fell 13th, in a race won by Thorncliffer (9-7) at Wetherby 3m 1f nov hcp chs 0-100 (5) sft, 7 ran.
Al Shababiya (IRE) 20-1 (10-13) Chased leaders, under pressure after 5 out, soon weakened, 6th of 8, 49l behind The Big Freeze (11-12) at Exeter 3m nov hcp chs 0-105 (4) hvy.
Gorgehous Lliege (FR) 9-2 (10-13) Tracked leaders, jumped right and bumped 1st, soon went 2nd, led 4th, headed next, led before 6th, not fluent and headed 9th, led before next, not fluent 11th, headed 4 out, weakened last, 4th of 7, 22l behind The Rockies (11-4) at Ludlow 3m nov hcp chs 0-110 (4) sft in Nov.
Gers Benefit (IRE) 12-1 (11-0) Close up, ridden 3 out, weakened next, last of 4, 15l behind A Little Swifter (11-0) at Leicester 2m Mares Beginners Chase (0-125) (4yo+) (3) gs.
Roseini (IRE) 11-2 (10-3) Chased leaders, mistake 7th, hampered 4 out, went 3rd approaching last, stayed on, 3rd of 6, 2l behind Armedanddangerous (11-12) at Towcester 2m 3f nov hcp chs 0-100 (5) sft.
Thorncliffer 8-1 (9-7) Tracked leader and keen, led 10th, ridden before 4 out, pressed last, kept on and eased last 25 yards, jockey mistook winning line, won at Wetherby 3m 1f nov hcp chs 0-100 (5) sft beating Whistling Senator (11-11) by 1/2l, 7 ran.
