led, ridden and headed approaching 4 out, not fluent 2 out, in 2nd and well held when jumped badly right and fell last
in touch, blundered 10th, ridden approaching 4 out, soon weakened, tailed off and pulled up before last
tracked leaders, led approaching 4 out, clear from 2 out, left well clear last
in rear, headway to chase leaders 5 out, ridden and outpaced next, left remote 2nd and hit last, no chance with winner
prominent, mistakes throughout, blundered 7th, lost place next, tailed off when pulled up before last, resumed and took remote 3rd
Ice Melted put up an improved display when encountering fences for the first time at Towcester last week and is taken to defy his 7lb penalty and score at the main expense of Marsh Run and Salhood. The last mentioned is a consistent performer and is entitled to be thereabouts again but the Steve Gollings-trained gelding has yet to prove that he is as good over fences as over hurdles and may again have to settle for a minor role. Assumetheposition disappointed over three miles at Hexham last time but he may not have stayed that day and may do better back over this trip, while Ambition Royal is proving to be hard to win with and a place is probably the best that he can achieve in this company. Extra Smooth could be of interest first timeout over the larger obstacles on his reappearance, while Marsh Run comes from the in-form yard of Mick Easterby and is another that has to be considered. Ice Melted remains unexposed over fences though and gets the vote to win again.
Marsh Run 10-1 (11-9) Chased leaders, ridden approaching 4 out, chased winner after last, no impression, 2nd of 9, 5l behind Thedublinpublican (10-9) at Wetherby 2m 4f nov hcp chs 0-110 (4) gf in May.
Salhood 11-4 (11-4) Held up in rear, mistake 8th, chased winner after 4 out, every chance last, kept on on run-in, just failed, 2nd of 6, shd behind Amicelli (11-7) at Market Rasen 2m 6f nov chs (2) gd in Sept.
Extra Smooth 16-1 (10-5) Prominent, led 3 out, ridden next, jumped left last, driven out, won at Market Rasen 2m 6f nov hcp hdl (3) sft in Mar beating Brumous (11-12) by 7l, 8 ran.
Ice Melted (IRE) 14-1 (11-4) Held up towards rear, smooth headway after 3 out, ridden to lead soon after last, kept on, won at Towcester 2m 3f hcp chs 0-105 (4) gs beating King Coal (11-8) by 2l, 10 ran.
Assumetheposition (FR) 7-1 (11-0) Keen early, close up, hit 4 out, soon outpaced, 6th of 10, well behind Tee-Jay (11-0) at Hexham 3m 1f chs 0-90 (5) gd.
Ambition Royal (FR) 16-1 (11-5) Mid-division, headway and in touch 12th, pushed along and outpaced 4 out, one pace from 2 out, 3rd of 15, well behind Why The Big Paws (11-9) at Carlisle 3m hcp chs 0-100 (4) gs.
