held up in rear, not fluent 5th, headway 7th, lost place when not fluent 11th, well beaten before 4 out, soon pulled up
led until 3rd, led next, headed 6th, mistake 7th, led 9th until 11th, led 4 out, headed and mistake 3 out, soon beaten
led 3rd, headed next, led 6th until 8th, lost place 11th, soon behind
held up in rear, headway 9th, mistake 4 out, challenged from 2 out until last, held flat
chased leaders, lost place 3rd, mistake 7th, not fluent 9th, closed next, struggling 12th, well beaten before 4 out, soon pulled up
chased leaders, not fluent 9th, challenged 2 out, soon led, stayed on
held upon outside, slow 4th and 5th, headway 12th, weakened after 3 out
tracked leaders, led 8th, headed next, led 11th, headed 4 out, led 3 out, headed after 2 out, weakened flat
Testing ground will play it’s part in this with doubts about Mr Caffrey’s ability to act on the surface and last month’s Carlisle third Bandsman is another with something to prove along with Head To The Stars. The returning Snuff Box has won on heavy over timber and went close over fences at Exeter early in the year but Ask The Weatherman will need to step up on previous efforts over the larger obstacles to figure. MR MCGO is upped in class after finishing runner-up in heavy ground over a shorter trip here on his reappearance but first-time headgear may bring the necessary improvement and Donald McCain’s charge gets the vote off his current mark .
Bandsman 16-1 (11-2) Held up in rear, headway 4 out, chased leaders next, kept on same pace after last, 3rd of 8, 5 1/4l behind Pop Rockstar (11-7) at Carlisle 3m hcp (3) gs in Oct.
Snuff Box (IRE) 16-1 (12-2) Towards rear, not fluent 9th, mistake 13th, mistake and weakened next, 6th of 11, 35 1/4l behind One Of Us (11-1) at Exeter 3m 7f hcp (3) gs in Apr.
Ask The Weatherman 11-2 (11-7) Chased leaders, hampered 3rd, reminders and lost place after 10th, soon behind, tailed off, 9th of 12, dist behind Achille (11-6) at Ffos Las 3m hcp (3) sft in Apr.
Head To The Stars 5-1 (11-7) Fell 1st, at Ludlow 3m 2f hcp (3) sft in Nov.
Cave Top (IRE) 11-1 (11-13) Mid-division, mistakes throughout, never dangerous, pulled up, at Wetherby 2m 3f hcp (3) sft in Nov.
Mr Caffrey 33-1 (11-4) Held up in touch, outpaced before 3 out, 4th of 5, 37l behind Black Op (11-4) at Stratford 2m 5f (4) sft in Oct.
Fortified Bay (IRE) 8-1 (11-7) Tracked leading pair until 5th, 3rd again 9th, hit 13th, lost 3rd 16th, weakened 4 out, tailed off, 4th of 5, dist behind La Cavsa Nostra (11-0) at Sedgefield 3m 2f hcp (3) sft in Nov.
Mr Mcgo (IRE) 9-4jfav (12-0) Led, headed 9th, led again 4 out, ridden and headed soon after 2 out, rallied to go 2nd final strides, 2nd of 7, 6l behind Zolfo (11-1) at Bangor-on-Dee 2m 4f hcp (4) hvy in Nov.
