chased leader until mistake 2nd, stayed in touch, mistake 5th, jumped right 5th, mistake 4 out, driven along 3 out, weakening when blundered badly 2 out, mistake last
held up in rear, headway 4 out, lost place next, well beaten after
led until 2nd, chased leader until slow 7th, outpaced before 2 out, went 3rd and kept on flat, no impression
tracked leaders, led 2nd, not fluent and jumped right 7th, always doing enough flat, pushed out towards finish
held up in rear, not fluent 8th, headway 4 out, every chance briefly after 3 out, 3rd and beaten 2 out, no extra and dropped to 4th flat
chased leaders, switched right and went 2nd before 2 out, switched left flat, held by winner, stayed on
IN REM was the very easy winner of three handicaps on good going before scrambling home over this track and trip on very testing ground. He's up another 5lb but a five-timer beckons. Colonel Manderson had been chasing without success until he followed a close second in a Taunton handicap back over timber with an impressive victory at Southwell where his stamina came into play. Theme Tune's double at the beginning of last year came in testing conditions but Ballintubber Boy completed a double on good ground before a bad mistake put paid to his hat-trick prospects at Fontwell. Triple bumper winner Happy Hollow ran very poorly at Kelso in December.
Ballintubber Boy (IRE) 17-2 (11-12) Chased leader, bad mistake and lost ground 6th, pulled up 4 out, at Fontwell 3m 2f hcp (4) sft in Dec.
Happy Hollow 5-1 (11-8) In rear, headway into mid-division after 7th, ridden before 3 out, soon beaten and pulled up before 2 out, at Kelso 2m 7f hcp (3) sft in Dec.
Theme Tune (IRE) 8-1 (12-1) Not that fluent, chased leaders, driven after 3 out, beaten next, soon weakened, 10th of 14, dist behind Gazette Bourgeoise (11-8) at Hereford 3m 2f hcp (4) gs in Jan.
In Rem (FR) 2-1fav (11-7) Held up, ridden and outpaced at 2 out, rallied and ran on well last hurdle, won gamely, won at Warwick 3m 2f hcp (4) hvy in Dec beating Bean In Trouble (11-12) by 1/2l, 6 ran.
Mr Harp (IRE) 5-1 (11-11) Held up and detatched, pulled up 8th fence, at Uttoxeter 3m 2f hcp (4) gd in Jan.
Colonel Manderson (FR) 13-8fav (11-5) In rear of midfield, steady headway 9th, progress on outside to lead before 2 out, ridden before last, stayed on strongly to pull clear flat, won at Southwell 3m hcp (4) gs in Jan beating Blumen Glory (11-8) by 8 1/2l, 9 ran.
