tracked leader, lost place approaching 3 out, left in moderate 4th 2 out
held up in rear but in touch, under pressure 3 out, soon ridden, left in remote 3rd 2 out
made all, strongly challenged when left clear 2 out, ran on well
held up in touch, took keen hold after 2nd, headway 4 out, soon chasing leader, driven and challenging when fell 2 out
tracked leaders, outpaced 3 out, staying on when left in 2nd 2 out, kept on well, no chance with winner
Giorgio Quercus returned from a long absence to land a gamble in a jumpers' bumper at Kempton last month. A useful novice hurdler a couple of years ago, he's sure to have been well schooled over fences and is favoured by the weights here. But we're loathe to desert TULLAMORE DEW, who has already proved himself over the larger obstacles and made the well-regarded Medermit pull out all the stops on his latest start over C&D. An easy winner at Fontwell previously, Nick Gifford's nine-year-old sets a decent standard. King Ozzy may prove the pick of the remainder as Norman The Great is likely to need his first run since July.
King Ozzy (IRE) 11-2 (11-4) Tracked leading pair, led 4 out, 3 lengths ahead approaching last, no extra and headed towards finish, 2nd of 6, 1/2l behind Noble Crusader (11-9) at Lingfield 2m hcp chs 0-125 (3) sft in Nov.
Smack That (IRE) 66-1 (11-1) In rear, stumbled 6th, lost touch 8th, tailed off when pulled up next, in a race won by Only Vintage (10-11) at Folkestone 2m 5f hcp chs 0-135 (3) gs in Dec, 15 ran.
Tullamore Dew (IRE) 9-2 (11-5) Soon led, headed after 2nd, remained prominent, effort 3 out, soon outpaced, rallied approaching last, stayed on under pressure to take 2nd close home, 2nd of 7, 3 1/2l behind Medermit (11-5) at Plumpton 2m 1f nov chs (3) gs in Dec.
Giorgio Quercus (FR) 7-4fav (11-0) Held up in rear, headway going well over 2f out, led over 1f out, ran on well, won at Kempton 2m Nat Hunt Flat (4yo+) (AWT) (4) std in Dec beating Bermuda Boy (11-0) by 1 1/4l, 10 ran.
Norman The Great 16-1 (11-2) Mid-division, struggling 3 out, behind when pulled up before last, in a race won by Wolf Moon (10-10) at Cheltenham 2m 5f hcp hdl 0-135 (3) sft in Nov '09, 17 ran.
