chased leaders, driven and outpaced after 4 out, ridden and kept on approaching 2 out, no extra from last
led after 1st, headed approaching 3 out, soon ridden, weakened next
led to after 1st, with leader, led again approaching 3 out, edged left and hit last, ridden and kept on flat
held up, outpaced 9th, soon weakened, tailed off from 3 out
behind, struggling 8th, tailed off 4 out
close up on outside, reminders and lost place 7th, soon tailed off, pulled up after 4 out
tracked leaders, headway to challenge 3 out, every chance when mistake last, no extra flat
held up, struggling 8th, pulled up before next
It will be interesting to see how Stormy Waters performs on her rules debut for Nicky Richards but the finish here is likely to be fought out by those with winning form over hurdles with LUCCOMBE BAY marginally preferred to River Shanakill. Howard Johnson's mare comfortably landed the odds on her debut for new connections at Newcastle in November but a subsequent defeat when odds on for a race at Sedgefield is of concern and she is hard to back with confidence following that effort. Don McCain has his string in great form and his runner Tastes Like More looks to be going the right way so has to be respected but she needs to improve on the form shown when landing a selling hurdle to get involved at the business end here. Malcolm Jefferson's Stick Together has run some decent races in defeat in bumpers and over hurdles and she has to be considered but preference is for Luccombe Bay. John Quinn's mare has struggled in handicaps since winning races at Sedgefield and Uttoxeter but has solid claims back in novice-company today and she is taken to resume winning ways.
Luccombe Bay 12-1 (11-3) Mid-division, ridden and weakened 6th, 5th of 12, 24l behind Carole's Legacy (11-3) at Ludlow 2m 5f mrs nov hdl (3) gs in Dec.
River Shanakill (IRE) 8-13fav (11-0) Prominent, hit 6th, ridden approaching 2 out, weakened from next, 4th of 11, 16l behind Just Posh (10-7) at Sedgefield 2m 4f mrs nov hdl (4) sft in Dec.
Tastes Like More (IRE) 5-1 (11-9) In touch, driven and lost place 7th, soon struggling, ridden before 2 out, stayed on strongly under pressure flat, never near leaders, 5th of 12, 24l behind Minella Boys (11-12) at Sedgefield 3m 3f hcp hdl 0-100 (4) hvy.
Crow Spinney 8-1 (10-3) Tracked leaders until ridden and weakened 3 out, 6th of 11, well behind Just Posh (10-7) at Sedgefield 2m 4f mrs nov hdl (4) sft in Dec.
Miss Tosca (IRE) 200-1 (10-3) Mid-division, ridden and weakened from 8th, 11th of 14, well behind Fortysecond Street (11-0) at Musselburgh 2m 4f mdn hdl (5) gd in Dec.
Oyashshecan (IRE) 150-1 (10-5) Jumped left 1st, soon behind, not fluent 3rd, tailed off from 7th and pulled up 5 out in race won by Star Lord (11-5) at Huntingdon 3m 2f nov hdl (4) gd in Dec, 11 ran.
Stick Together 4-1 (10-0) Tracked leaders, effort 3 out, ridden and kept on same pace from next, 4th of 16, 7l behind River Shanakill (10-10) at Newcastle 2m 4f mrs mdn hdl (5) gs in Nov.
Stormy Waters Karinga Bay mare out of Chinook's Daughter.
