held up in touch, closed 5th, challenged 7th, ridden approaching 2 out, stayed on same pace flat
led until after 1st, prominent, led again 5th, ridden approaching 2 out, headed before last, 2 lengths down flat, rallied towards finish, just held
mid-division, headway 6th, lost place next, tailed off
held up towards rear, mistake 3rd, ridden and lost touch after 7th, tailed off
prominent until 7th, soon weakened, tailed off
mid-division, headway on inside 4th, ridden after 3 out, not fluent 2 out, one pace before last
tracked leaders, lost place when mistake 5th, soon behind, pulled up before 7th
towards rear, well beaten after 7th, tailed off
tracked leaders, weakened after 4th, pulled up before next
held up towards rear, not fluent 5th, ridden in 5th after 7th, weakened before 3 out, tailed off
held up towards rear, steady headway before 5th, challenged 2 out, led before last, ridden and 2 lengths ahead when edged left and idled flat, held on
led after 1st, not fluent 2nd, headed 5th, not fluent next, weakened 7th, tailed off
mid-division, mistake 5th, headway next, outpaced after 7th, soon weakened, tailed off
mid-divison, not fluent, lost place 2nd, behind 4th, pulled up before 6th
in touch, close up when mistake 6th, ridden and lost place after next, tailed off
held up in rear, headway 6th, weakened next, tailed off
The longer trip and heavy ground had started to take its toll on CREEPY when he fell two out in a Grade 2 at Haydock last month. But he'd earlier finished a 13-length fourth to Coneygree in a similarly well-contested event at Cheltenham and a repeat of that form would make him hard to beat here. Whisky Yankee should strip fitter for his run in a Wolverhampton jumpers' bumper and was second on his hurdling debut at Stratford in November while there should be more to come from Wetherby fourth Minella Fifty. Mister Bricolage disappointed at the same track last month, however, and Bally Rone is probably more interesting arriving off the back of wins in a point-to-point and a bumper.
Bally Rone (IRE) 16-1 (10-11) Held up, headway 10f out, led over 2f out, ridden and edged right over 1f out, stayed on well, won at Ffos Las 2m NH flat (6) hvy in Feb beating Kayf Moss (11-4) by 2 1/2l, 8 ran.
Creepy (IRE) 7-2 (11-4) In rear and keen, headway 8th to go 3rd, pushed along 3 out, weakening in 4th when fell
Edgar Jones 40-1 (11-1) Raced keenly, with leader, led after 4f, wandered 3f out, soon ridden, headed over 2f out, lost place over 1f out, no impression final furlong, 5th of 11, 5l behind Peter The Horse (10-7) at Worcester 2m NH flat (6) gd in Aug '11.
Lucky To Be Alive (IRE) 100-1 (11-2) Held up towards rear, hampered 2nd, not fluent 3rd or 4th, headway before next, mistake 6th, weakened 4 out, tailed off, 5th of 12, well behind Whisper (11-8) at Ffos Las 2m 4f NH nov hdl (4-7yo) (4) hvy in Feb.
Minella Fifty (IRE) 16-1 (10-12) Mid-division, took keen hold, headway 3rd, ridden after 4 out, no impression next, 4th of 12, 28l behind Whispering Gallery (11-9) at Wetherby 2m 4f nh nov hdl (4) sft in Feb.
Mister Bricolage (IRE) 3-1 (10-12) Tracked leaders, went 3rd before 3 out, weakened 2 out, 5th of 11, 36l behind Seebright (10-12) at Wetherby 2m 6f nov hdl (4) sft in Feb.
Mumbles Bay (IRE) 100-1 (10-11) Tracked leaders on outside, not fluent and reminder 6th, weakened before 8th, pulled up approaching next, in a race won by Ugly Bug (11-0) at Ffos Las 3m mdn hdl (4) hvy in Feb, 13 ran.
Safferano (IRE) 66-1 (11-0) Held up in rear, headway after 6th, lost place before 8th, pulled up approaching next, in a race won by Ugly Bug (11-0) at Ffos Las 3m mdn hdl (4) hvy in Feb, 13 ran.
Signe D'estruval (FR) 80-1 (10-9) Held up in rear, well behind final 7f, tailed off, 11th of 15, well behind Wadswick Court (11-0) at Hereford 2m 1f NH flat (6) sft in Dec.
Sir Benfro 40-1 (11-0) Held up, took keen hold, jumped slowly 1st and when in last 2nd, pulled up before 3rd, in a race won by O'faolains Boy (11-0) at Chepstow 2m 4f mdn hdl (4) hvy in Jan, 13 ran.
Whisky Yankee (IRE) 5-1 (11-4) Tracked leaders, led over 1f out, soon ridden headed inside final furlong, one pace, 4th of 12, 2 1/4l behind Rysbrack (11-4) at Wolverhampton 2m n h flat (4) std in Jan.
Zakaroo 250-1 (11-2) Keen in rear, behind 5th, tailed off when pulled up before 7th, in a race won by Edmund Kean (11-2) at Fakenham 2m 4f NH nov hdl (4-7yo) (3) sft in Feb, 10 ran.
Kims Quest (IRE) 12-1 (10-6) Held up in rear, took keen hold, headway after 5th, chased winner before 8th, not fluent 3 out, weakened before last, 4th of 9, 29l behind Bob Ford (11-6) at Ffos Las 2m 6f mdn hdl (5) hvy in Jan.
Odd One Out (IRE) 10-1 (11-7) in a race won by Irish Lace (11-7) at Upper Sapey 3m ptp gs in May, 11 ran.
Oh Suzannah 7-1 (11-1) Chased leaders, outpaced over 2f out, kept on and no impression, 5th of 11, 10l behind Giveagirlachance (10-7) at Lingfield 2m Mares Maiden Nat Hunt Flat (4-6yo) (AW) (6) std in Jan.
Nurse Brace 8-1 (10-2) Held up, headway over 4f out, ridden over 3f out, soon weakened, last of 6, 34l behind John Reel (10-12) at Ffos Las 1m 6f n h flat 3yo (6) sft in Nov.
