tracked leaders, lost place 7th, rallied after 9th, weakened 2 out
always prominent, led 3 out, headed flat, held towards finish
held up, headway approaching 3 out, no impression 2 out, one pace
held up towards rear, hit 5th, headway 7th, challenged 2 out, led flat, driven out
prominent, ridden approaching 3 out, weakened next
in touch, every chance 3 out, no impression from next, mistake last, one pace
not much room 1st, mid-division, headway 5th, not fluent next, went 3rd 2 out, no impression on leading piar, stayed on same pace
in rear, behind 9th, tailed off
CAPE DUTCH found only the useful Edgardo Sol too good at Cheltenham last time after winning impressively at Hexham and Carlisle. John Ferguson's five-year-old is probably still ahead of the handicapper and can resume winning ways, though A Bridge Too Far is better than he showed at Ascot last month and Cotillion comes here off the back of a game win at Chepstow and stays this longer trip. Arctic Wings hasn't won for a while but had an outing on the all-weather on Wednesday and has every chance of reversing Wetherby running with Simonside on Boxing Day on 8lb better terms while the step up to 2m4f will almost certainly suit the maiden Bowdler's Magic, who was a stayer on the Flat. The Starboard Bow looks the pick of the remainder.
A Bridge Too Far (IRE) 6-1 (10-9) Chased leaders on inside, blundered and weakened 3 out, not recover, tailed off and eased, last of 10, well behind Smad Place (11-9) at Ascot 2m 3f Ltd hcp hdl (1) gs in Jan.
Cotillion 9-2 (10-5) Held up in rear, headway after 4th, challenged 3 out, led when jumped right next, ridden when went right again last, edged right flat, stayed on, won at Chepstow 2m hcp hdl (2) hvy in Jan beating Zafranagar (9-11) by 2 1/2l, 8 ran.
Higgy's Boy (IRE) 7-1 (10-2) Chased leaders, effort after 4 out, every chance last, ridden and weakened flat, 10th of 11, 9l behind Palawi (10-8) at Musselburgh 2m hcp hdl (2) gd in Jan.
Cape Dutch (IRE) 7-2fav (11-9) Tracked leaders, not fluent 3 out, every chance approaching last, stayed on under pressure, well held by winner flat, 2nd of 17, 6l behind Edgardo Sol (11-9) at Cheltenham 2m nov hcp hdl (3) gs in Nov.
Simonside 10-1 (10-2) Prominent, led 3 out, headed when jumped right and not fluent next, no extra last, 7th of 16, 17l behind Thehillofuisneach (10-11) at Warwick 3m 1f hcp hdl (2) gs in Jan.
Bowdler's Magic 6-1 (11-5) Led, pushed along and headed narrowly 3 out, every chance until no extra and lost 2nd place close home, 3rd of 14, hd behind White Fusion (9-11) at Musselburgh 2m mdn hdl (5) gd in Jan.
Danceintothelight 16-1 (10-5) Tracked leading pair, joined leader 7th, lost place before 2 out, soon outpaced, 6th of 12, 15l behind Allow Me (11-1) at Catterick 2m 3f hcp hdl 0-135 (3) gs in Jan.
The Starboard Bow 8-1 (11-0) Towards rear, pushed along 6th, headway to go 3rd before 3 out, soon ridden, no impression, 3rd of 6, 44l behind Teenage Idol (10-13) at Ayr 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-135 (3) sft in Jan.
Scriptwriter (IRE) 50-1 (11-4) In touch, ridden and lost place after 3rd, well behind 5th, tailed off when pulled up before last, in a race won by Achimota (11-6) at Haydock 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-120 (4) hvy in Dec, 9 ran.
Arctic Wings (IRE) 9-2 (10-11) Held up in rear, headway 3 out, chasing leaders when blundered next, weakened before last, 4th of 9, 19l behind Big Easy (10-6) at Doncaster 2m 3f hcp hdl 0-135 (3) gs in Jan.
