raced keenly in touch, hit 10th, closer at 11th, went 3rd before 4 out, plugged on, no chance with winner
chased leaders, led before 3rd where mistake, pressed from next, mistake 8th, in command from 2 out, clear between last 2, very easily
chased leaders, outpaced when blundered 4 out, rallied from 2 out, plugged on in 4th
chased leaders, led after 1st until before 3rd, chased leading pair until 7th, weakened before 4 out
led until after 1st, pressed winner from 4th, ridden and every chance until mistake 2 out, no chance with winner, kept on for 2nd, finished tired
raced keenly in last pair, closer at 10th, weakened before 14th, tailed off when mistake next, pulled up before 2 out
held up in rear, pushed along and outpaced before 13th, rallied and went badly left 4 out, soon weakened
Snuff Box looked a likely future winner when narrowly beaten at Lingfield in November but had a battle to go one better at Bangor. He's up 4lb but that was only his second start since January. CYCLOP went up 14lb for an easy victory at Chepstow then took advantage of a lower hurdles mark on a return visit. He didn't quite get the run of the race back over fences at Market Rasen but was only beaten a neck and can get back to winning ways. Orchardstown Cross, three times a winner over fences, has been given a chance by the assessor while Weststreet was running in better company last winter.
Orchardstown Cross (IRE) 25-1 (11-6) Held up in rear, mistake 2nd, headway after 16th, mistake 5 and lost place 5 out, closed from 4 out, no impression on front pair after 2 out, pressing for 3rd from before last, 4th of 14, 20 3/4l behind Amateur (10-0) at Newbury 3m 2f hcp (3) sft in Dec.
Cyclop (IRE) 11-4fav (11-4) Prominent, lost place 11th, slow next, pushed along before 2 out and switched wide, ridden and stayed on well to challenge last, ran on well flat, 2nd of 14, nk behind Who's In The Box (10-7) at Market Rasen 3m 4f hcp (3) sft in Dec.
Snuff Box (IRE) 9-4jfav (11-0) Close up and disputed lead, lost ground and chased along before 2 out, stayed on strongly approaching the last, pressed leader last, kept on gamely run-in, just, won at Bangor-on-Dee 3m hcp (3) hvy in Dec beating Fortescue (11-8) by nk, 7 ran.
Weststreet (IRE) 11-1 (11-8) Midfield, ridden in 5th after 3 out, 4th jumping 2 out, kept on behind leading trio, 4th of 8, 25 1/2l behind Tea Time On Mars (10-13) at Bangor-on-Dee 3m hcp (3) sft in Nov.
Young Turk (FR) 50-1 (10-11) Towards rear, mistake 3rd, ridden after the 5th, soon detached and tailed off, pulled up before 4 out, at Ludlow 2m hcp (3) gs in Nov.
Hedgeinator (IRE) 18-1 (11-2) Prominent, jumped right 8th, struggling 13th, behind next, pulled up after, at Warwick 3m hcp (4) sft in Dec.
Alberto's Dream 5-1 (10-4) Bumped and unseated rider 1st, at Warwick 3m hcp (4) sft in Dec.
