tracked leaders, mistake 2nd, jumped slowly and reminders 4th, soon lost place, pulled up after 5th
held up towards rear, headway 4th, not fluent 6th, pushed along before 3 out, soon beaten, weakened after 2 out
tracked leaders, chased leader approaching 5th, led 3 out, headed 2 out, stayed on same pace after last
took keen hold, tracked leader until approaching 5th, not fluent next, soon weakened, pulled up before last
led until 3 out, weakened 2 out, took remote 3rd latter stages
held up towards rear, headway 5th, challenged 3 out, led 2 out, ridden clear final 150 yards
Quell The Storm made a pleasing first start over fences for Paul Nicholls when landing a novices' chase at Newton Abbot last month but he has a penalty to carry for that success and may have to settle for minor honours here behind Alan King's POUVOIR, who was much the best of these over hurdles and he may be worth chancing on his second outing over fences on his first run since January. Tim Vaughan's Holoko Heights has been in good form this term having won three of his last four starts, the latest of which was on his chasing debut, but this is tougher under his penalty. Nordwind is capable but probably needs to improve to trouble the judge for first place.
Holoko Heights 9-4fav (11-5) Tracked leaders, went 2nd 8th, led flat, driven out, won at Worcester 2m nov chs (4) gd beating Blacktoft (11-12) by 6l, 7 ran.
Quell The Storm (FR) 7-4fav (11-0) Raced keenly, tracked leading pair, went 2nd 9th, led going well after 3 out, ridden to assert between last 2, clear when carried head high approaching last, stayed on, easily, won at Newton Abbot 2m nov chs (4) gd in Aug beating Novikov (11-3) by 12l, 4 ran.
Adjami (IRE) 11-2 (10-13) Tracked leaders on outside, challenged 6th until ridden before next, struggling 3 out, tailed off, 9th of 11, well behind Strumble Head (10-13) at Stratford 2m 3f hcp hdl 0-90 (5) gf in Aug.
Classic Fly (FR) 9-2 (10-5) Prominent and raced alone on inside, went 2nd 3rd, ridden 3 out, 3rd when mistake last, no extra, 4th of 5, 5l behind Kijivu (11-2) at Newton Abbot 2m 1f hcp hdl 0-115 (4) hvy.
Intense Suspense (IRE) 50-1 (10-0) Took keen hold, prominent, led 4th until fell 7th, in a race won by Another Trump (11-8) at Worcester 2m 4f nov hcp chs 0-105 (4) gd, 11 ran.
Nordwind (IRE) 9-2 (11-5) Prominent, lost place after 3rd, left 3rd 2 out, ran on flat, 3rd of 7, 10l behind Holoko Heights (11-5) at Worcester 2m nov chs (4) gd.
Pouvoir (FR) 11-2 (11-0) Held up in 3rd, pushed along approaching 3 out, soon beaten, weakened approaching 2 out, hung right approaching last, 4th of 5, 40l behind The Nightingale (11-0) at Fontwell 2m 2f beg chase (4) sft in Jan.
