Black Jack Ketchum is impossible to oppose with Snakebite and Mylord Collonges rating the main dangers. #The selection is held in very high regard and won well last time when beating Gungadu. That form has since been franked and he need only reproduce that effort to win this with plenty in hand. Snakebite rates the main danger as he won well last time out when beating Inaro but this looks tougher and he still has plenty to find on official ratings with the selection. Mylord Collonges is another that could go well on his best bumper form but he was far from fluent on his hurdling debut last time and he will need to improve in that department if he is to trouble the selection. Of the remainder Jimmy Bedney is from a yard in form and could go well at a price but Black Jack Ketchum has plenty in hand on ratings and he is given the confident vote to score.
Black Jack Ketchum (IRE) 4-6fav (11-7) Held up in rear, headway 10th, led soon after last, comfortably, won at Cheltenham 3m nov hdl Grd 2 (A) gs in Dec beating Gungadu (11-0) by 2l, 6 ran.
Carnt Spell 25-1 (11-7) Chased leader to 4 out, weakened after 3 out, 9th of 17, 24l behind Darkshape (10-7) at Warwick 2m hcp hdl 0-90 (F) sft in Dec.
Cayman Calypso (IRE) 50-1 (11-5) Held up, hit 3rd, headway 5th, every chance approaching 3 out, weakened quickly, 8th of 13, 40l behind Brumous (11-10) at Leicester 2m 4f nov hdl (3) hvy in Jan.
Jimmy Bedney (IRE) 10-1 (11-4) Led, jumped left 5th, headed when hit 4 out, weakened 2 out, 7th of 16, 41l behind Five Colours (11-4) at Hereford 2m 3f nh nov hdl (4) sft in Jan.
Kingtobee (IRE) 33-1 (11-2) Never in contention, tailed off when pulled up 3 out in race won by Coach Lane (10-11) at Chepstow 2m mdn hdl (E) hvy in Dec, 11 ran.
Mange Tout (IRE) 50-1 (11-1) Held up, ridden 4 out, weakened next, 4th of 9, well behind Unjust Law (11-1) at Fakenham 2m nh nov hdl (4) gd in Jan.
Mylord Collonges (FR) 10-1 (11-6) Jumped left throughout, prominent, led 2nd, ridden and headed after 3 out, weakened next, 8th of 15, 42l behind Nero West (10-13) at Wincanton 2m 6f mdn hdl (4) sft in Jan.
Oscar Royal (IRE) 50-1 (10-11) Mid-division, ridden 6f out, soon weakened, 13th of 14, well behind Legal Glory (10-11) at Hereford 2m 1f mdn nhf (H) gd in Nov.
Saltrio 100-1 (9-6) Mid-division, ridden 6f out, soon weakened, 25th of 36, 41l behind Landing Light (9-4) at Newmarket 2m 2f hcp (B) gf in Oct '03 (Flat).
Snakebite (IRE) 5-2 (11-4) Made all and always going well, clear from 4 out, stayed on strongly, won at Lingfield 2m 3f nh nov hdl (4) hvy in Jan beating Inaro (11-10) by 6l, 11 ran.
