held up mid-division, headway after 5th, led after 2 out, ran on well, readily
led, headed 2 out, soon ridden, kept on same pace
in touch till badly hampered and unseated rider 4th
always towards rear, pulled up before 2 out
tracked leaders, ridden approaching 9th, weakened approaching 2 out
in touch till 6th, soon behind, tailed off and pulled up before 3 out
chased leaders till 7th, soon weakened
mid-division till 7th, soon behind, tailed off and pulled up before 2 out
held up towards rear, headway after 5th, jumped left next, soon weakened, tailed off
held up behind, headway 7th, soon ridden, stayed on
held up, hampered 4th, ridden approaching 3 out, soon weakened
held up mid-division, headway after 3 out, stayed on, never troubled leaders
in touch till 8th, soon behind
held up towards rear, headway approaching 7th, ridden after 3 out, one-paced
mid-division till brought down 4th
The in-form Madam Flora will have a tough task giving away weight to all her 15 rivals. She was hiked in the ratings after beating Tealby by 24 lengths at Wincanton on Boxing Day. She is a course specialist already and the ground will suit. Blue Ride beat Clingstone by a short head at the course also on Boxing Day off 10st 5lb. His jockey's claim will help his cause and this in-form Paul Nicholls-trained mare should be hard to beat. The inconsistent Phar Breeze won one of these qualifiers at Southwell in November, but has been well beaten since and others are preferred. One of those is Just Caramel, who regularly runs into the places for connections, but has not yet managed to break her duck over hurdles. She returns from a long absence, but runs well fresh and has to be respected. Mincarlo finished third to Madam Flora at Wincanton and improved further when beaten just four lengths at Ludlow last time out; she's certainly going the right way. Dunnicks Chance finished a detached third to Blue Ride on Boxing Day, and has failed to sparkle on all starts so far. Mini Mandy makes her hurdles debut after being well-beaten in a bumper last time out, which marked a return from a long absence. Has won a bumper, but plenty to prove in Thursday's race. The remainder would have to improve to figure in the first four.