towards rear in 4th, chased winner before 4 out, ridden before 2 out, no impression
tracked winner until before 4 out, ridden next, one pace
made all, clear before 3 out, kept on strongly
tracked leaders and mistakes, ridden before 3 out, weakened next
in rear, weakened from 6 out, tailed off
Nicky Henderson complicates matters by saddling two in this small field. Winning bumper and hurdler Bivouac started long odds-on when facing fences for the second time at Leicester but had to scramble to get home and will need to do better. His stable companion LAURIUM easily landed a novices' handicap at Exeter in November but has been outclassed subsequently at Cheltenham and Ascot so this is more like his grade and he can get back on track. Jimmy The Jetplane won a novices' handicap at Sedgefield on good ground in October but his latest two runs have been very poor while neither Favorito Buck's nor Goosen Maverick have shown anything of note and the latter makes his chasing debut.
Bivouac (FR) 1-7fav (11-2) Jumped left at times, tracked leaders, went 2nd from 4th, switched left after 3 out, ridden and hanging left before last and flat, driven to lead close home, won at Leicester 2m (4) sft in Mar beating Spoilt Rotten (11-2) by 1/2l, 5 ran.
Jimmy The Jetplane (IRE) 9-2 (11-6) Tracked leaders, outpaced 5 out, behind from next, tailed off, 5th of 6, dist behind Premier Bond (11-0) at Catterick 3m 1f (4) gs in Jan.
Laurium 12-1 (11-4) Jumped left in early stages, took keen hold, held up tracking leaders, dropped to rear 10th, never on terms after, outpaced and no chance from 14th, last of 5, 21 1/2l behind Bigbadjohn (11-4) at Ascot 3m (1) sft in Feb.
Favorito Buck's (FR) 14-1 (11-4) Led to before 5th, chased leaders, outpaced 4 out, weakened and pulled up before next, at Wincanton 2m 4f hcp (3) sft in Jan.
Goosen Maverick (IRE) 12-1 (10-7) Held up in mid-division, last 6th, plugged on from 2 out, no impression, 6th of 12, 19 1/2l behind Scooby (11-7) at Taunton 3m hcp (4) gd in Mar.
