jumped right, chased leader, led last, stayed on strongly flat
held up, closed 3rd, ridden and beaten when bumped 2 out, no extra
held up on outside, blundered 8th, soon beaten
chased leaders, not fluent 8th, ridden after 3 out, went 3rd, jumped left and bumped into rival 2 out, closed on 2nd flat, no impression on winner
led, hit 7th, ridden before 2 out, mistake and headed last, no impression on winner flat
handy when hampered 1st, soon last, mistake 4th, behind 6th
Geneva Barracks looks to have little chance in this and Ashoka has plenty to prove at present but the remaining quartet look closely matched. Luckofthedraw would probably have preferred better ground and is best caught fresh but Master Work would have decent claims as long as the going doesn’t deteriorate. Joke Dancer loves the mud and came good in some style at Haydock after falling on his chasing bow at Sedgefield but ROUGH NIGHT has a very similar profile and is getting 7lb. On the evidence so far, the latter is going to make a better chaser than hurdler.
Joke Dancer 11-2 (11-10) Chased leaders, jumped right 3rd and 4th, led before and jumped right 2 out, stayed on well, won at Haydock 2m hcp (3) hvy in Dec beating Chambard (11-9) by 11l, 5 ran.
Master Work (FR) 7-2 (11-1) Held up, headway after 9th, went 3rd before 4 out, not fluent 3 out, chased winner 2 out, unable to challenge, stayed on, 2nd of 6, 1 1/4l behind Caid Du Lin (11-12) at Ludlow 2m hcp (2) sft in Dec.
Ashoka (IRE) 25-1 (11-12) Held up in rear, tailed off and pulled up after 4 out, at Taunton 2m 2f hcp (3) sft in Dec.
Luckofthedraw (FR) 5-1 (11-10) Close up on outside, dropped towards rear 6th, headway 8th, ridden after 8th, soon no impression, modest 4th before 2 out, 4th of 7, 17 3/4l behind Espoir De Guye (10-12) at Exeter 2m 3f hcp (3) sft in Dec.
Rough Night (IRE) 3-1 (11-12) Led 2nd, headed next, mistake 4th, led 5th, clear 2 out, stayed on well, won at Warwick 2m hcp (4) hvy in Dec beating Darling Alko (11-6) by 11l, 7 ran.
Geneva Barracks (IRE) 100-1 (11-2) Chased leaders, pecked 4th, lost place before 6th, blundered next, soon well behind, last of 5, dist behind Torpillo (10-9) at Warwick 2m (3) sft in Nov.
