tracked leaders, lost place approaching 4th, headway 7th, 3rd when mistake 2 out, weakening when blundered and rider lost iron briefly last
held up in rear, headway approaching 8th, challenged 2 out, led, idled and went left last, driven out
prominent, jumped big 1st, led 4th until 7th, ridden after 8th, weakened from next, tailed off
prominent, led 7th, ridden and headed approaching 2 out, weakened last
mid-division, headway after 6th, ridden 8th, weakened after 3 out
mid-division, headway approaching 8th, ridden after 3 out, soon outpaced, rallied 2 out, went 3rd before last, stayed on
led until 4th, remianed prominent, led approaching 2 out, headed before last, stayed on
mid-division on outside, lost place after 7th, well behind before next, soon pulled up
in rear, not fluent 2nd, soon pushed along, always behind
held up, weakened approaching 8th, soon well behind and pulled up
in touch, lost place 4th, headway 7th, ridden after 3 out, soon weakened
tracked leaders on outside, lost place after 7th, well behind next, pulled up after
held up, headway after 4th, hit 5th, close up when fell 9th
mid-division, ridden and lost place after 7th, well behind next, pulled up after
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Just an entry in this qualifies runners for the big final at Cheltenham in March and similar contests have throw up some strange results in the past. Mobaasher has to go on the short-list, however, as he will see out this trip better than most and was a promising sixth behind Ashkazar on his return to action at Cheltenham. The Nick Williams pair Sangfroid and Alfie Spinner are others that catch the eye with Daryl Jacob opting for the latter, even though he's unproven over 3m. Novice Frascati Park and top weight Michael Flips may also struggle to get home on the ground but it won't be a problem for HEATHCLIFF. Richard Lee's gelding is steadily coming to hand and was a wide-margin winner over C&D on heavy ground two years ago. The hat-trick seeking Kauto The Roc may best of the rest.
Micheal Flips (IRE) 10-11fav (11-3) Mid-division, closed 5th, went 2nd after 3 out, challenged next, soon ridden, stayed on towards finish, 2nd of 9, 3/4l behind Have You Seen Me (11-0) at Towcester 2m beg chs (4) gd in Oct.
Mobaasher (USA) 33-1 (11-5) Held up towards rear, headway after 3 out, never on terms, well beaten 6th when jumped left last, 6th of 17, 24l behind Ashkazar (11-12) at Cheltenham 3m hcp hdl (2) gs.
South O'The Border 25-1 (10-11) Tracked leaders, mistake 9th, soon lost place, pushed along after 12th, behind from 13th, tailed off, 7th of 13, well behind Nicto De Beauchene (10-7) at Sandown 3m hcp chs 0-145 (2) sft.
County Zen (FR) 16-1 (11-9) Mid-division until mistake 2nd, soon lost place, rear and struggling 7th, tailed off, hit 3 out, 10th of 17, 46l behind Fine Parchment (11-2) at Cheltenham 2m 5f cond hcp chs (4yo+) (3) gd in Dec.
Federstar (GER) 40-1 (10-12) Towards rear, 9th after 7th, fell 11th, in a race won by Misstree Dancer (11-3) at Newbury 2m 6f nov hcp chs 0-130 (3) gs in Dec, 15 ran.
Sangfroid 4-1 (10-11) Chased leaders, blundered badly 7th, plugged on from 3 out, not recover, 4th of 8, 34l behind Superior Wisdom (10-8) at Exeter 2m 7f hcp hdl (2) hvy in Nov.
Alfie Spinner (IRE) 9-1 (10-11) Chased leader until ridden before 3 out, stayed on same pace from next, 4th of 11, 7l behind Salden Licht (11-12) at Exeter 2m 1f hcp hdl (2) gs.
Halla San 20-1 (11-5) Mid-division when mistake and unseated rider 5th, in a race won by L'Accordioniste (11-9) at Cheltenham 2m 1f hcp hdl 0-135 (3) gd in Dec, 17 ran.
Heathcliff (IRE) 20-1 (11-9) Mid-division, ridden and headway 2 out, stayed on to take 3rd flat, 3rd of 18, 17l behind Universal Soldier (11-7) at Chepstow 3m hcp hdl 0-135 (3) sft.
First Stream (GER) 14-1 (10-6) Held up mid-division, slightly hampered 3 out, soon tracked leaders, ridden and effort when not fluent last, weakened flat, 8th of 16, 13l behind Lush Life (11-2) at Cheltenham 3m hcp hdl (2) gd in Dec.
The Shy Man (IRE) 20-1 (10-7) Behind, outpaced 4 out, stayed on under pressure from next, never near leaders, 6th of 18, 30l behind Grands Crus (10-10) at Haydock 3m Listed hcp hdl (1) gs in Nov.
Love of Tara 11-2 (10-7) Tracked leaders in 3rd, reminders and lost place from 10th, in rear from next, tailed off when pulled up before 5 out, in a race won by Glenwood Knight (11-0) at Uttoxeter 3m beg chs (4) hvy in Dec, 5 ran.
Kauto The Roc (FR) 4-1fav (10-8) Held up towards rear, headway approaching 4 out, chased leaders 3 out, went 2nd 2 out, led wandered before and hit last, driven and kept on well flat, won at Kempton 3m hcp hdl 0-120 (3) gd in Nov beating Lupanar (11-3) by 1 1/2l, 12 ran.
Phare Isle (IRE) 7-2fav (11-10) Held up in touch, headway to chase leaders 9th, led before and hit 2 out, soon clear, eased down after last, won at Fakenham 2m 7f hcp hdl 0-110 (4) sft beating Days Of Pleasure (11-5) by 12l, 8 ran.
Merrydown (IRE) 11-2fav (10-1) Mistake 1st, mid-division, weakened before 3 out, pulled up soon after, in a race won by Beshabar (9-11) at Sandown 2m 6f hcp hdl Grade 3 (1) sft in Feb, 13 ran.
Frascati Park (IRE) 8-15fav (11-12) Made all, mistake 3rd, driven and hard pressed 2 out, ridden and kept on well flat, won at Leicester 2m nh nov hdl (4) sft beating Araldur (11-5) by 1 3/4l, 9 ran.
Like Minded 4-1 (11-4) Tracked leader, led approaching last, soon headed, kept on same pace, 2nd of 5, 2 3/4l behind Manyriverstocross (11-4) at Sandown 2m 4f nov hdl G2 (1) sft in Dec '09.
Strategic Approach (IRE) 4-1 (11-1) Held up in touch, struggling 14th, soon weakened, behind when pulled up before 4 out, in a race won by Triggerman (11-1) at Folkestone 3m 1f beg chs (4) gs in Dec, 8 ran.
