held up in touch, ridden to chase leaders 3 out, kept on same pace next
tracked leader, ridden and outpaced 3 out, weakened approaching next
in touch, reminded 9th, led and blundered 3 out, ridden and not fluent last, kept on
held up, mistake 6th, ridden and outpaced approaching 3 out, kept on approaching next, no impression approaching last
led, hit and headed 11th, led again 4 out, headed 3 out, weakened approaching last
tracked leaders, led 11th, headed 4 out, outpaced next, weakened and pulled up before last
held up in touch, outpaced 3 out, stayed on under pressure to go 2nd next, no impression
in rear when fell 12th
soon lost place and behind, hit 6th, struggling 11th, behind when pulled up before 2 out
Hold The Bid gets the narrow vote here over Silent Bay and Trisons Star. The selection won well last time at Wetherby when beating Sea Cadet. That form has since been franked and with ground conditions again to suit he should take plenty of beating. Silent Bay won well last time when beating Scrappie, but that form has since been let down and for that reason we will pass him over today. Trisons Star disappointed last time but this drop in trip should suit and he will go on the ground, so he has to enter calculations. Aston would have claims on his best form, but he has been a little disappointing of late and he is probably best watched until he shows some signs of rekindling his old sparkle. We will therefore return to Hold The Bid as the one to beat.
Silent Bay 9-1 (11-6) Chased leaders, led 6 out, kept on well from 3 out, won at Ayr 3m 1f nov hcp chs 0-110 (4) hvy beating Scrappie (11-6) by 6l, 10 ran.
Trisons Star (IRE) 10-3fav (10-2) Prominent, mistake 14th, ridden 17th, soon weakened, behind when pulled up 5 out in race won by Rambling Minster (11-7) at Kelso 4m hcp chs 0-140 (2) gs in Dec, 13 ran.
Crackadee 13-2 (11-4) Behind, reminded 6th, soon lost touch, tailed off when pulled up at the 11th in race won by Strong Resolve (11-12) at Kelso 3m 1f hcp chs 0-120 (3) gs in Nov, 7 ran.
Hold The Bid (IRE) 13-2 (11-9) In touch, ridden 2 out, jumped left and led last, stayed on well, won at Wetherby 3m 1f nov hcp chs 0-110 (4) gs in Dec beating Sea Cadet (10-11) by 1 1/2l, 11 ran.
Lethem Air 80-1 (11-3) Tracked leaders, ridden after 10th, soon weakened and pulled up at the last in race won by Brave Rebellion (10-12) at Kelso 2m 6f nov chs (2) hvy, 11 ran.
Almire du Lia (FR) 16-1 (11-12) Led to 7th, weakened after 4 out, tailed off, 7th of 13, well behind Toy Gun (10-5) at Ayr 3m hcp hdl 0-95 (5) hvy.
Auntie Kathleen 7-1 (11-8) Mid-division, headway 15th, outpaced 4 out, tailed off when pulled up 2 out in race won by Matmata de Tendron (11-3) at Sedgefield 3m 3f hcp chs 0-105 (4) hvy, 12 ran.
Low Reactor (IRE) 9-2jt-fav (11-1) Chased leaders, outpaced 5 out, soon weakened, tailed off, 8th of 11, well behind Hold The Bid (11-9) at Wetherby 3m 1f nov hcp chs 0-110 (4) gs in Dec.
Aston (USA) 12-1 (11-0) Always behind and not jumped well, reminders after 8th and pulled up at the 11th in race won by Mister Jungle (10-7) at Musselburgh 3m hcp chs 0-100 (4) gs in Dec, 12 ran.
