held up in rear, pecked slightly 6th, headway next, went 2nd bypassing omitted 3 out, left in lead 2 out, stayed on gamely
held up in rear, mistake 8th, fell next
held up in rear, not fluent 5th, well beaten after 9th
held up towards rear, headway 10th, not fluent when left 2nd 2 out, not fluent last, no impression flat
mid-division, headway after 7th to chase leader, led before omitted 3 out, narrow advantage when fell 2 out
took keen hold, pressed leader, led 5th until after next, weakened after 9th
led to 5th, led after next until before omitted 3 out, 4th when hampered and left 3rd 2 out, soon weakened
chased leaders, hampered 8th, weakened 10th
jumped left, chased leaders to 10th
Another interesting betting heat where NUDGE AND NURDLE is the suggestion, while Babe Heffron can go very well, and Buck Milligan can make a bold follow-up bid. The last-named handles cut well enough and is today racing from a mark 7lbs higher than his last handicap success. He was thrashed at Aintree last time out in November, but the yard is in much better form now, and he can benefit form a short break to come good again. Babe Heffron will relish both conditions and trip and was not far away from a 4lbs lower mark at Wetherby in December. The yard has not yet got into full swing after the enforced break and although he may be good enough he doesn't look lump-on material for now. Buck Milligan was a decisive Ludlow winner last time and was put up 11lbs for that 10-length success. Cut suits him and he stays forever, so he has to be a short-list consideration. Oracle Des Mottes has not won for some time and although he has trip and ground in his favour, his consistency in defeat means that he has not yet dropped to the sort of mark that would interest us in playing. Montgermont has proved expensive to follow and has not scored since 2006. His subsequent handicap mark after that Reynoldstown Novices' Chase win means that he has had to contest some tough handicaps, and the truth is that he has disappointed more often than not. Now back to a mark of 130 he has his first opportunity in some time to get truly competitive, though he is hard to fancy until we see some better form. Silmi has been a shade disappointing with his jumping of late and looks best watched, and we will side with Nudge And Nurdle.
Montgermont (FR) 5-2fav (11-12) Led, hit 5th, headed 9th, outpaced when blundered 4 out, soon lost place, weakened from next, 5th of 7, 26l behind Crocodiles Rock (11-9) at Market Rasen 2m 4f hcp chs 0-135 (3) hvy in Nov.
Buck Mulligan 12-1 (10-8) Held up early, headway to chase leaders 9th, led 13th, clear 18th, jumped right 4 out, mistake 2 out, kept on well, won at Ludlow 3m 1f hcp chs 0-130 (3) sft in Dec beating Milton Des Bieffes (10-2) by 10l, 9 ran.
Nudge And Nurdle (IRE) 8-1 (10-9) Held up, headway approaching 10th, left 3rd 14th, weakened from 2 out, 4th of 11, 45l behind Dev (10-7) at Aintree 2m 5f hcp chs (2) sft in Nov.
Oracle des Mottes (FR) 33-1 (11-2) Held up in rear, poor 5th when blundered 3 out, tailed off, 5th of 12, well behind Fistral Beach (11-2) at Kempton 2m 4f hcp chs 0-135 (3) sft in Jan.
Silmi 8-1 (11-8) Mid-division, lost place when mistake 11th, soon struggling, behind when pulled up before 2 out, in a race won by Noun De La Thinte (10-5) at Southwell 2m 4f hcp chs 0-130 (3) gs in Jan, 13 ran.
Pass Me A Dime 14-1 (11-3) In touch, led soon after 9th, headed 11th, ridden along 13th, driven 4 out, weakened 2 out, last of 5, 29l behind Ballyfoy (11-11) at Lingfield 3m hcp chs 0-130 (3) hvy in Dec.
Babe Heffron (IRE) 7-2fav (10-10) Led, headed 3 out, regained lead last, headed towards finish, 2nd of 8, 1 1/4l behind Le Roi Rouge (11-3) at Wetherby 2m hcp chs 0-135 (3) hvy in Dec.
Mister Wiseman 12-1 (11-1) Mid-division, outpaced 4 out, soon ridden, kept on under pressure from next, never troubled leaders, 4th of 14, 19l behind Plein Pouvoir (11-12) at Wincanton 2m 5f hcp chs 0-115 (4) sft in Dec.
Dream Falcon 33-1 (11-6) Led, ridden and headed after 15th, soon weakened, behind when pulled up before 3 out, in a race won by Plein Pouvoir (11-12) at Wincanton 2m 5f hcp chs 0-115 (4) sft in Dec, 14 ran.
