always prominent, led 6th, headed 11th, left in lead next, made rest, clear 3 out, comfortable
raced wide, joined leaders after 3rd, jumped slow, lost place 11th, left moderate 3rd last
in touch, chased winner 12th, mistake next, lost 2nd place when fell last
led, headed 6th, remained with leaders, led again 11th, fell next
chased leader early, steadied to rear after 3rd, reminders 9th, driven to go moderate 3rd 4 out, chased clear leader approaching last, kept on, no chance
held up, improved after 3rd to be in touch, ridden, weakened before 4 out
Nonrunner
A competitive if tough to solve handicap chase in which we'll side with CLASSIC CLOVER to come out on top ahead of Dune Raider and Lavenoak Lad. The selection is 9lb higher since two wins in the early part of October and was outclassed last time but back down in grade today and with Aidan Coleman up can revert to winning ways before the handicapper finally catches up with him. Dune Raider is rated the main danger with Timmy Murphy in the saddle and he's another horse dropping back into the right grade. Although required to carry a lot of weight over this stamina-sapping trip Dune Raider has won off higher marks in the past and is only a pound higher than when winning at around this trip back in August. Lavenoak Lad is well worthy of consideration as a last time out winner and this 6lb higher mark seems perfectly fair, however we feel the horse may want a little further and so he is taken on this time. On previous form Ocean du Moulin would win this head-in-chest but since joining Jamie Snowden he is yet to recapture the form showed for Paul Nicholls and he is best watched along with Fakima, Tony Martin's Irish raider who may just need a bit of respite from the handicapper before resuming winning ways at the ripe old age of 11. In a tricky race we will take Classic Clover to land the spoils.
Fortification (USA) 17-2 (10-9) Made all, pushed along approaching 11th, reminded next, mistake 4 out, not fluent next, under pressure last, driven out, won at Chepstow 3m nov hcp chs 0-110 (4) sft beating More The Merrier (10-13) by 1 1/4l, 9 ran.
Dune Raider (USA) 18-1 (11-1) Pressed leader, not fluent 12th, every chance 2 out, weakened approaching last, 4th of 7, 22l behind Skipper's Lad (10-10) at Stratford 3m 4f hcp chs 0-120 (3) gd in Oct.
Ocean du Moulin (FR) 22-1 (11-8) Tracked leaders, under pressure when mistake 3 out, gradually weakened, 7th of 16, 11l behind Lucky Pearl (9-12) at Wincanton 2m 6f hcp hdl 0-100 (4) gd in Oct.
Lavenoak Lad 9-2 (11-9) Chased leaders, ridden after 10th, soon outpaced and lost place last after 14th, rallied 4 out, went 2nd after 2 out, led flat, driven clear, won at Worcester 2m 7f hcp chs 0-90 (5) sft in Jun beating Ossmann (11-8) by 6l, 7 ran.
Classic Clover 12-1 (9-11) Prominent, led 10th, headed 16th, weakened after 4 out, 5th of 10, 18l behind Toby Jug (11-12) at Wincanton 3m 3f hcp chs 0-140 (2) gd in Oct.
Ask Oscar (IRE) 8-1 (11-4) Held up in touch, outpaced 10th, rallied next, left 2nd 2 out, led when left clear last, won at Plumpton 2m 4f nov hcp chs 0-95 (5) gf in Oct beating Particle (11-12) by 12l, 6 ran.
Fakima (IRE) 25-1 (10-9) Mid-division, no impression from 4 out, 9th of 22, 25l behind Ameretto Son (10-9) at Punchestown 3m 1f am hcp ch 0-102 in Oct.
Master Cobbler (IRE) 16-1 (10-8) Raced keenly, tracked leaders, mistake 5th and 11th, chased winner approaching 3 out, lost position when jumped slowly last, one pace flat, 3rd of 13, 6l behind Gleann An Sagart (11-7) at Stratford 2m 5f nov hcp chs 0-115 (4) gd in May.
