in touch, mistake and hampered 9th, every chance approaching 3 out, stayed on flat
in rear, never near leaders
mid-division, headway approaching 9th, jumped left 2 out, weakened approaching last
in rear, lost touch approaching 9th, tailed off
held up in rear, hampered 9th, soon hanging left and weakened
tendency to jump right, led until after 9th, soon weakened
raced keenly, tracked leader, hit 3rd, not fluent when not much room 7th, challenging when fell 9th
in touch, not fluent 4th, reminder after next, led after 9th, jumped right 2 out, ridden out
jumped right, held up towards rear, mistake 3rd, not fluent 8th, headway after next, weakened after 3 out
with leaders, hit 3rd, ridden and weakening when hampered 9th
mid-division, headway after 8th, 4 length down in 4th and held when blundered badly 3 out, weakened 2 out
held up in rear, mistake 3 out, never on terms
Winter Star has a 7lb penalty to carry for the novices' hurdle that he won at Hereford last week that will make life tougher for him today and the Evan Williams-trained gelding looks best watched in a race that is taken to go to ENGLISHTOWN, with Wild Tonto rated the main threat. The selection has been running well over further of late but Jonjo O'Neill's gelding should not be inconvenienced by the drop in distance on this softer surface today and looks worth chancing in a competitive handicap. The Rocking Dock ran better at Perth when last seen in July and would have claims if able to build on that effort, while Bantry Bere has struggled since opening his account in a maiden hurdle at Market Rasen in December. Tim Vaughan's Wild Tonto has done little wrong of late and has to be considered but he may now be a shade high in the weights and preference is for Englishtown.
Winter Star 9-2 (12-0) Always prominent, led after 3 out, clear 2 out, eased towards finish, won at Hereford 2m 4f nov hdl (4) gd beating Alecia (10-4) by 12l, 12 ran.
Orpen Wide (IRE) 11-1 (11-9) Mid-division, outpaced 5th, no danger after, 8th of 12, well behind Los Nadis (11-4) at Cartmel 2m 1f hcp hdl 0-125 (3) gd in Aug.
Englishtown (FR) 9-2 (11-5) Held up towards rear, headway 9th, challenging when mistake 3 out, still every chance last, weakened towards finish, 5th of 9, 10l behind Symbiosis (9-13) at Worcester 3m hcp hdl 0-135 (3) gd in Aug.
Idarah (USA) 5-1 (11-11) Held up behind, ridden 3 out, soon outpaced, weakened when pulled up 2 out in race won by Heir To Be (11-0) at Market Rasen 2m 6f hcp hdl 0-125 (3) gs in Mar, 8 ran.
Dan Buoy (FR) 16-1 (10-13) In touch, weakened 6th, tailed off when pulled up 3 out in race won by Irish Whispers (10-5) at Fontwell 2m 4f clm hdl (5) gd, 12 ran.
The Rocking Dock (IRE) 14-1 (11-9) Led, headed when hit 2 out, soon ridden, one pace and lost 2nd flat, 3rd of 8, 5l behind Buachaill On Eirne (11-11) at Perth 2m 4f cnd hcp hdl 0-115 (4) gd in Jul.
Shannon Falls (FR) (10-8) 5th of 10, 22l behind Iris Du Berlais (10-4) at Auteuil 2m 2f hdl in Nov.
Bantry Bere (IRE) 6-1 (10-7) Held up in touch, ridden approaching 7th, weakened after next, tailed off when pulled up 4 out in race won by Hypnotic Vibes (10-7) at Southwell 2m 1f beg chs (4) gd in Aug, 8 ran.
Wild Tonto (IRE) 7-4fav (10-13) Held up, headway 3 out, led next, ridden last, kept on until headed, no extra near finish, 2nd of 9, nk behind Markington (10-1) at Market Rasen 2m 6f hcp hdl 0-120 (3) gd in Aug.
Kilcannon Supreme (IRE) 9-4 (11-5) In touch, outpaced 3 out, no impression from next, 6th of 8, 21l behind Buachaill On Eirne (11-11) at Perth 2m 4f cnd hcp hdl 0-115 (4) gd in Jul.
Herakles (GER) 16-1 (11-2) Behind, headway 3 out, ridden and effort next, kept on, no impression flat, 3rd of 9, 5l behind Markington (10-1) at Market Rasen 2m 6f hcp hdl 0-120 (3) gd in Aug.
Heir To Be 25-1 (11-0) Towards rear, ridden 5th, one pace from 2 out, 5th of 12, 39l behind Supreme Being (11-5) at N Abbot 2m 3f sll hdl (5) gd in Aug.
