raced in 4th, went 3rd after 7th, chased winner 4 out, ridden after next, lost 2nd 2 out, weakened soon after
tracked leaders, in 3rd, ridden and lost place after 7th, blundered 12th, rallied between last 2, took 3rd early flat
tracked leader, led and made most after 8th, in command between last 2, driven and stayed on well flat
held up in rear, headway to track leaders after 3 out, went 2nd travelling well 2 out, driven and found nil between last 2, well held when jumped right last
led until 8th, chased winner after, ridden approaching 3 out, lost 2nd 2 out, soon weakened
Black Hills is selected ahead of Marcel and the talented but frustrating Tikram. The last named can be a law unto himself and does not always find as much as appears to be still untapped. That said, he can be hard to resist when the penny drops and a big run cannot be ruled out. He got no further than the first in the National a fortnight ago, so doesn't come here on the back of a hard race. Marcel won the Grade One Tolworth Hurdle here last year, so his connections have happy memories of the course. The David Pipe-trained gelding has taken well to fences and, even though he is on a stiff mark, he cannot be ruled out. However, preference is given to Black Hills, who has a more consistent profile and, with his liking for a stiff finish assured, he is fancied to nail them with a sucker punch at the end.
Marcel (FR) 16-1 (10-9) Held up towards rear and unseated rider at the 6th in race won by Bambi De L'orme (10-2) at Aintree 2m hcp chs Grd 3 (1) gd, 15 ran.
Tikram 125-1 (10-5) Unseated rider 1st unseated rider at the 2nd in race won by Silver Birch (10-6) at Aintree 4m 4f hcp chs Grd 3 (1) gd, 40 ran.
Black Hills 8-1 (11-4) Always prominent, not fluent 8th, hit 11th, led next, ridden 2 out, headed close home, 2nd of 10, 1l behind Ofarel D'airy (11-7) at Cheltenham 2m 5f hcp chs (3) gd.
Mr Boo (IRE) 12-1 (11-12) Mid-division, lost pace 11th, headway 13th, soon driven, stayed on to go 2nd near finish, 2nd of 11, 5l behind Stern (10-12) at Ascot 2m 5f hcp chs 0-125 (3) gd in Mar.
Big Rob (IRE) 28-1 (11-3) Chased leaders, every chance 4 out, soon ridden, weakened next, 10th of 17, 31l behind Alderburn (11-12) at Newbury 3m hcp chs 0-135 (3) gd in Mar.
