always towards rear
tracked leaders in 3rd, ridden before 2 out, mistake and lost 2nd place, no extra
held up towards rear, headway before 5th, ridden before 2 out, no extra after
always behind, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out
held up towards rear, headway 3 out, went 3rd 2 out, chased winner from last, no impression
led to 3 out, ridden before 2 out, soon weakened
mid-division, weakened from 3 out
tracked leader, led 3 out, clear before last, kept on well, eased towards finish
in touch, weakened from 4 out
Flat winner Twelve Strings has shown little so far over hurdles. Taunton second In The Crowd has already been beaten in sellers this season while L'Assommoir has his first run for Richard Rowe after a break. Flying Light is a chaser but Brave Helios must have some sort of chance having been dropped another 5lb since his latest run. ASSIREM's Sedgefield conqueror Discoverie won again off a 6lb higher mark earlier this week so Ben Pauling's charge must go close here with the ground in his favour.
Rough King (IRE) 4-1 (11-6) Held up behind when fell 2nd, in a race won by Beatabout The Bush (11-9) at Sedgefield 2m 1f hcp hdl 0-120 (4) sft, 7 ran.
Twelve Strings (IRE) 20-1 (11-0) Mid-division, slightly hampered 4 out, 7th and no chance when fell 2 out, in a race won by Laser Hawk (11-0) at Newbury 2m mdn hdl (4) sft in Dec, 17 ran.
Flying Light (IRE) 16-1 (10-2) Not always fluent, held up, 4th when mistake 3 out, never on terms, well held before next, 4th of 6, 11l behind Upepito (11-1) at Warwick 2m hcp chs 0-135 (3) sft.
L'assommoir (FR) (10-7) 3rd of 7, 10l behind Kinalba (10-5) at Marseille-Borely(FR) 2m 1f hdl gd in May.
Brave Helios 33-1 (11-6) Always towards rear, 8th of 14, 10l behind After Eight Sivola (11-3) at Taunton 2m 3f con hcp hdl 0-110 (4) sft in Dec.
In The Crowd (IRE) 6-1 (11-6) Chased leader, led after 2nd until 6th, chased leader, led again before 2 out, narrowly headed run-in, rallied, just held, 2nd of 17, nk behind Worldor (11-7) at Taunton 2m 1f hcp hdl 0-100 (5) sft in Dec.
L Stig 8-1 (11-8) Towards rear, outpaced before 3 out, never on terms, 9th of 14, 33l behind One Cool Boy (10-1) at Ludlow 2m hcp hdl 0-105 (4) gs in Dec.
Assirem (FR) 6-1 (11-5) Led to 2nd, tracked leader, challenged 3 out, ridden before last, kept on and always held, 2nd of 8, 6l behind Discoverie (10-0) at Sedgefield 2m 1f hcp hdl 0-100 (5) sft in Dec.
Katarrhini 25-1 (10-5) In rear, ridden 3 out, soon weakened, 6th of 7, 24l behind Haatefina (10-10) at Fakenham 2m mrs nov hdl (4) sft in Dec.