held up in last pair, headway on outside approaching 9th, mistake and dropped to rear 10th, rallied chasing leaders approaching 4 out, struggling when mistake and weakened next
tracked leaders, awkward 12th, outpaced and dropped to rear 14th, rallied under pressure before 2 out, went modest 3rd last
chased leaders, jumped right 5th, driven along before 4 out, weakened soon after 4 out
mostly chased winner, pushed along before 4 out, ridden and no chance from 2 out, kept on for clear 2nd
jumped well, made all, brushed 4 out, clear and well in command from 2 out, stayed on strongly, unchallenged
took keen hold, held up in rear, closer order 8th (water), not fluent 12th and 14th, stayed on into 3rd approaching 4 out, driven one pace and no impression before 2 out, weakened into 4th at the last
Harry Topper won this last year and loves the mud so is worth a second look even though he's been pulled up in both starts since. Houblon Des Obeaux is a very good handicapper but usually comes up short in this grade while Double Ross has become hard to predict and is better over shorter trips and, like Harry Topper and Taquin De Seuil, failed to complete when last seen in the Betfair Chase at Haydock in November. The latter is capable of better but is still taking chances at his fences. CONEYGREE possibly won the Kauto Star by default at Kempton on Boxing Day as four of his six rivals failed to finish. But he's developing into a smart front-runner and might be capable of passing his toughest task to date as he receives 5lb from Unioniste, who easily won a Sandown handicap last month but was beaten by Harry Topper in the Charlie Hall at Wetherby last season.
Harry Topper 9-1 (11-7) Chased leaders, mistake 7th, weakened before 6 out, pulled up, in a race won by Silviniaco Conti (11-7) at Haydock 3m 1f chs G1 (1) sft in Nov, 9 ran.
Unioniste (FR) 5-2fav (11-6) Held up in mid-division, headway tracking leaders in 5th before 10th, 3rd at 14th, went 2nd 3 out, challenged 2 out, led soon after, ridden clear before last, stayed on strongly run-in, won at Sandown 3m hcp chs (2) sft in Jan beating Bertie Boru (10-7) by 10l, 11 ran.
Double Ross (IRE) 50-1 (11-10) Towards rear, struggling 5out, behind when pulled up 2out, in a race won by Silviniaco Conti (11-10) at Kempton 3m Grade 1 chs (4yo+) (1) gs in Dec, 10 ran.
Houblon Des Obeaux (FR) 9-2 (11-12) Never far away, jumped left 11th, outpaced 3 out, rallied into 4th after 2 out, stayed on into 2nd at the last, kept on flat, 2nd of 9, 2 1/2l behind The Young Master (10-9) at Ascot 3m listed hcp chs (1) gs in Dec.
Coneygree 10-3 (11-7) Led to 5th, left in lead 8th, clear form 4 out, stayed on strongly, won at Kempton 3m nov chs Grade 1 (4yo+) (1) gs in Dec beating Warden Hill (11-7) by 40l, 7 ran.
Taquin Du Seuil (FR) 9-2 (11-7) Mid-division, mistake 6th, weakened from
