led in start, held up, headway 6th, niggled along approaching 8th, ridden before next, weakening when mistake 3 out, tailed off when pulled up before 2 out, broke blood vessel
held up, jumped slowly 5th, headway when jumped slowly 7th, went 3rd approaching 4 out, ridden after 3 out, edged left approaching 2 out, stayed on same pace last
prominent, blundered 1st, lost place and eased approaching 4 out, no chance when blundered last
chased leader until after 2nd, dropped to last by next, mistake 7th, behind from next
always prominent, not fluent 2nd, soon chasing leader, challenging when blundered 2 out, every chance flat, held near finish
made all, ridden approaching last, stayed on game flat
Charlie Egerton's Kruguyrova is 4lbs better in with Big Buck's for the two lengths that the Paul Nicholls-trained gelding beat the mare at Newbury last month and there should not be a great deal to choose between the pair again but it is hard to get away from Moon Over Miami, who is preferred. The selection disappointed in the Henry VIII but either side of that effort Charlie Mann's gelding has looked a decent recruit to the novice chasing ranks, latterly when beating Big Buck's at Newbury. Moon Over Miami is actually better in with the Nicholls runner today and he is taken to follow up. Ring The Boss has shown progressive form over hurdles but faces no easy task on his chasing debut, while neither Pepsyrock nor Orpen Wide make any great appeal in a potentially decent contest that is taken to go to Moon Over Miami.
Moon Over Miami (GER) 7-2 (11-10) Jumped well, tracked leaders, led 5th, kept on gamely from last, driven out, won at Newbury 2m 2f nov chs (3) sft in Dec beating Big Buck's (11-0) by 1/2l, 5 ran.
Big Buck's (FR) 8-11fav (11-1) Tracked leader, jumped slightly left from 4 out, ridden into narrow advantage last, edged left, driven out, won at Newbury 2m 1f nov chs (3) sft in Jan beating Kruguyrova (10-12) by 2l, 4 ran.
Pepsyrock (FR) (11-4) Led halfway, very easily, won at Pau 2m 2f chs gs in Dec beating Samarra D'oc (10-5) by 10l, 10 ran.
Orpen Wide (IRE) 14-1 (10-12) Held up, pushed along 6th, never dangerous, last of 6, 21l behind Leslingtaylor (11-6) at Doncaster 2m nov chs (2) gd.
Ring The Boss (IRE) 7-4fav (11-5) Tracked leaders, hit 4th, ridden before 2 out, beaten when hit last, 6th of 11, 11l behind Jack The Giant (11-1) at Cheltenham 2m 1f hcp hdl 0-135 (3) gd in Dec.
Kruguyrova (FR) 6-4 (10-12) Led, ridden and jumped slightly left from 3 out, headed last, kept on, 2nd of 4, 2l behind Big Buck's (11-1) at Newbury 2m 1f nov chs (3) sft in Jan.
