tracked leader, joined leader 7th, led after 8th, headed approaching 3 out, weakened approaching last
held up, always going well, headway after 4 out, led on bit last easily
tracked leaders, driven 6th, jumped right 9th, ridden from next, kept on under pressure
led, headed after 8th, ridden and led again approaching 3 out, headed last
Nonrunner
SHAKE THE BARLEY is sure to have done some remedial work on his jumping following his debut at Wincanton and was running well enough to be selected here. Ballyaahbutt is a course and distance winner so makes the short-list along with Cilla Black. Shake The Barley showed little in three runs over hurdles and is clearly no star given the level that he made his chase bow in. He was running quite a nice race though until losing his confidence after crumpling on landing on the sixteenth. He's worth another chance in this company. Ballyaahbutt has been off the track for a while but races off the same mark as when successful over course and distance in March 2007 and is well worth a market check. Cilla Black has left Alan King's yard since pulling up on her final two starts and punters are going in rather blind as it's hard to gauge whether the switch to chasing for her new yard will bring about any improvement but it wouldn't be the biggest surprise. The market may prove useful but Shake The Barley has shown enough to be selected.
Brimham Boy 25-1 (10-6) Tracked leaders, mistake 12th, soon ridden, weakened after next, left 4th 3 out, 4th of 9, well behind Monzon (11-0) at Fontwell 2m 6f hcp chs 0-115 (4) gd in Oct.
Shake The Barley (IRE) 7-2 (11-2) Held up, headway, pecked 16th, ridden 17th, weakened 4 out, jumped left 2 out, tired when fell at the last in race won by Monzon (11-8) at Wincanton 3m 1f hcp chs 0-100 (4) gs in Oct, 7 ran.
Cilla Black 20-1 (10-7) Held up, headway under pressure after 5th, weakened after next, tailed off when pulled up 2 out in race won by Psychiatrist (11-0) at Fontwell 2m 2f nov hdl (4) gd in Apr, 10 ran.
Ballyaahbutt (IRE) 10-1 (10-13) Led to 6th, weakened 9th, tailed off when pulled up 4 out in race won by Fieldsofclover (11-11) at Worcester 2m 4f hcp chs 0-100 (4) gf in Apr '07, 13 ran.
Orion Star (IRE) 40-1 (10-5) Held up mid-division, headway approaching 4 out, soon weakened, blundered 3 out, 5th of 9, 25l behind Apollo Creed (10-12) at Worcester 2m 7f nov chs (4) gf in Jun.
