in rear and not fluent, blundered 5th, jumped slow and pulled up after 7th
always close up, led from 8th, drew clear from 2 out
led to 8th, chased winner until outpaced approaching 4 out, kept on from 2 out
held up, hit 5th, in 6th and beaten when fell 4 out
tracked leaders, chased winner approaching 4 out, weakening when hit 3 out
held up in touch, ridden and outpaced 5 out, chased winner 3 out, kept on, no impression
in touch, weakened from 10th, unseated 5 out
held up, pushed along halfway, stayed on 3 out, never dangerous
Not for the first time fences proved to be the downfall for Frankie Figg at Cheltenham last time and Howard Johnson's gelding looks best left out of calculations after that effort with preference for YES SIR, who gets the vote over Storm of Applause. The last mentioned deserves to get his head in front following some decent efforts in defeat of late, latterly when chasing home Soleil Fix at Fontwell and the Philip Hobbs-trained gelding has to be respected despite a 4lb rise for that run. Strawberry has claims if fit for his reappearance but Seamus Mullins has not had the best of starts to the season and he may be best watched today, while John Wade's Love That Benny is probably better over further and may be a shade high in the weights anyway. Tim Easterby's Pay Attention comes into this on the back of wins at Market Rasen and Perth but the novice faces no easy task at the weights on his debut in handicap-company over the larger obstacles and a better bet looks to be Yes Sir. Peter Bowen's gelding has shown improved form of late and he looks worth supporting off what seems a much more lenient mark than he has been racing off over the last year. (Nick Millard)
Love That Benny (USA) 25-1 (11-3) Mid-division, weakened 4 out, 10th of 15, well behind Always Waining (11-0) at Market Rasen 2m 6f lst hcp chs (1) gd in Sept.
Yes Sir (IRE) 14-1 (10-11) Pressed leader, mistake 5th, soon led, headed approaching last, no chance with winner flat, stayed on, 2nd of 17, 5l behind Ouzbeck (11-10) at Cheltenham 2m 4f hcp chs 0-145 (2) gd.
Frankie Figg (IRE) 8-1 (10-9) Chased leader and soon clear of remainder, led 3rd, headed before 3 out, ridden when fell 2 out in race won by Parsons Legacy (11-7) at Cheltenham 3m hcp chs (2) gd, 17 ran.
Pay Attention 10-3 (11-5) Prominent, led 8th, clear approaching 3 out, readily, won at Perth 2m chs (4) gd in May '07 beating Echo Point (11-12) by 12l, 6 ran.
Strawberry (IRE) 14-1 (10-12) Made all, mistake 4 out, clear next, ridden out flat, won at Newbury 2m 6f mrs hcp chs (1) sft in Mar beating Classic Fiddle (11-5) by 1 1/2l, 15 ran.
Storm of Applause (IRE) 11-4jt-fav (11-10) Travelled well, held up, headway 6th, ridden approaching 3 out, chance last, kept on same pace, 2nd of 7, 3 1/2l behind Soleil Fix (11-6) at Fontwell 2m 4f hcp chs 0-120 (3) gd.
Or de Grugy (FR) 25-1 (11-6) Held up mid-division, blundered 9th, outpaced from 5 out, 6th of 10, 31l behind Ellerslie George (10-10) at Wetherby 2m 4f hcp chs 0-135 (3) frm.
Manbow (IRE) 17-2 (10-10) In rear, some headway 5 out, never on terms, 7th of 10, well behind Ellerslie George (10-10) at Wetherby 2m 4f hcp chs 0-135 (3) frm.
