keen early, with leaders, pushed along after 8th, losing place when mistake and hampered 10th, soon behind, pulled up after 11th
with leaders, led approaching 2nd, headed 4th, remained prominent, led 12th, ridden and headed 2 out, weakened approaching last
held up in rear, headway 11th, challenged 2 out, led last, ridden out
held up, reminders after 8th, hampered 10th, lost touch from 12th, tailed off
held up in rear, hampered 10th, headway after next, went 2nd 4 out, led 2 out, headed last, not quickened flat
in touch, ridden after 3 out, weakening when jumped left 2 out, went left last
led, mistake 1st, headed before 2nd, led 4th, fell 10th
in touch, headed and mistake 2nd, remained prominent, left in lead 10th, headed 12th, hit 4 out, driven after 3 out, weakened from 2 out
With Nigel Twiston-Davies back among the winners it is to be hoped that Night Safe will run better than when pulled up at Newbury last month but he is hard to back with any confidence after that outing and a safer option looks to be FIRTH OF FORTH, who gets the verdict ahead of Sharajan. Alan King's gelding has shown gradual improvement with each start over fences this term and the nine-year-old has to be strongly considered in a race that should not take a great deal of winning. Jim Old's Kildonnan was well beaten on his belated return to action in December and now looks best watched, while Gentleman Jimmy looks the clear second best of Alan King's two runners. The Alner's New Team has been well held in both starts this term and a better bet looks to be Firth Of Forth. Jonjo O'Neill's gelding stepped up on his reappearance effort when running out a good winner of a novice chase at Bangor when last seen in December and he is taken to follow up that success here.
Auburn Grey 20-1 (10-0) Led until blundered and unseated rider at the 5th in race won by Supreme Leisure (9-7) at Uttoxeter 2m 5f nov hcp chs 0-100 (4) hvy in Jan, 7 ran.
Double Intruder (IRE) 14-1 (11-5) Held up towards rear, hit 8th, headway 14th, mistake next and 16th, soon weakened, tailed off when pulled up 4 out in race won by Deep Quest (10-11) at Exeter 4m hcp chs 0-120 (3) sft in Dec, 14 ran.
Firth Of Forth (IRE) 7-2 (10-13) Held up in rear, headway to join leader 4 out, led approaching 2 out, clear approaching last, eased towards finish, won at Bangor 2m 4f nov chs (4) sft in Dec beating The Big Canadian (10-10) by 11l, 4 ran.
Gentleman Jimmy 8-1 (11-1) Towards rear, ridden and weakened after 11th, tailed off when pulled up 2 out in race won by Le Burf (11-6) at Wincanton 2m 5f hcp chs 0-125 (3) gs in Jan, 10 ran.
Kildonnan 16-1 (11-5) Held up in rear, headway 6th, weakened approaching 3 out, tailed off, 6th of 9, well behind Tricky Trickster (11-5) at Newbury 3m nov hcp chs (3) sft in Dec.
New Team (FR) 18-1 (10-12) Mid-division, ridden and lost touch approaching 4 out, 5th of 8, well behind Saphir Des Bois (10-8) at Wincanton 2m 5f nov chs (3) gs in Jan.
Night Safe (IRE) 13-2 (11-2) Chased leaders, ridden 12th and soon struggling, behind when pulled up 4 out in race won by The Sawyer (11-6) at Newbury 3m hcp chs 0-125 (3) sft in Jan, 15 ran.
Sharajan (IRE) 9-2 (10-12) Prominent, jumped left from 6th, chased winner 12th, jumped badly left, no chance from 3 out, 2nd of 8, 7l behind Saphir Des Bois (10-8) at Wincanton 2m 5f nov chs (3) gs in Jan.
