towards rear, ridden after 4th, soon hanging left, behind 8th, tailed off when pulled up before 2 out
prominent, led 3rd, not fluent 8th, headed next, weakened 3 out, tailed off
held up in rear, headway approaching 3 out, went 2nd 2 out, led before last, edged right and leg bandage fell off flat, stayed on
held up towards rear, headway approaching 9th, went 2nd before 3 out until 2 out, rallied to go 2nd when carried right flat, stayed on
in rear, soon pushed along, headway approaching 3 out, soon no further progress
mid-division, headway approaching 8th, soon ridden, weakened after 9th, pulled up before 2 out
held up in rear, pulled up before 6th
mid-division, headway 7th, weakened after 3 out, pulled up before 2 out
behind, ridden after 4th, tailed off when pulled up before 9th
prominent until ridden and weakened approaching 3 out, pulled up before 2 out
led until 3rd, ridden 6th, weakened before next, pulled up before 2 out
tracked leaders, mistake 8th, soon ridden and weakened, pulled up before 2 out
chased leaders, ridden after 9th, weakened approaching 2 out
tracked leaders, went 2nd 6th, led 9th, headed approaching last, no extra towards finish
Paktol Des Brosses and My Skipper both have big rise in the handicap for their good Fontwell efforts and so both are passed over in favour of COUNT BORIS who has attracted market support on his two most recent runs. Jim Best's gelding has been unlucky to bump into two progressive rivals this winter but his latest run has been especially franked by the excellent Vivarini. He is able to race off the same mark of 93 today and with Denis O'Regan an interesting jockey booking he is fancied to win. There was only a short-head separating Paktol Des Brosses and My Skipper at Fontwell earlier this month and the latter is only 1lb better off at the weights today. That fact coupled with the former having more scope for improvement means that the places should be confirmed. Zephyros is blinkered for the first time but this Irish import hasn't shown enough to be of interest unless the market screams in his favour, Milton Des Bieffes is consistent and could be well-treated back over hurdles, whilst Aztec Treasure showed more last time out and is capable of better still. Extra Smooth is considered on this return to hurdling with the blinkers on, whilst Gatien Du Tertre and Colonial Jim are also tackling the smaller obstacles again and cannot be overlooked. Laughing Game and Acosta still look handicapped to take a race, however the nomination the lucky last goes to Count Boris.
Zephyros (IRE) 18-1 (10-8) Behind, pushed along before 6th, struggling soon after, tailed off, 8th of 17, well behind Viking Blond (10-13) at Exeter 2m 7f hcp hdl 0-115 (4) sft.
Paktol Des Brosses (FR) 20-1 (10-9) Led, clear 6th, 5 lenghts ahead last, edged left flat, just clung on, won at Fontwell 3m 3f hcp hdl 0-95 (5) sft beating My Skipper (11-2) by shd, 13 ran.
My Skipper (IRE) 5-1 (11-2) Held up in rear, hit 9th, headway approaching 3 out, chased winner after 2 out, edged right flat, stayed on, just failed, 2nd of 13, shd behind Paktol Des Brosses (10-9) at Fontwell 3m 3f hcp hdl 0-95 (5) sft.
Count Boris 7-4fav (11-10) Tracked leaders, led after 6th, headed approaching 4 out, no extra, 2nd of 9, 20l behind Vivarini (10-10) at Fakenham 2m 7f hcp hdl 0-95 (5) sft in Jan.
Acosta 50-1 (10-4) Chased leaders, went 2nd 7th to 4 out, weakened before 3 out, 6th of 17, 38l behind Viking Blond (10-13) at Exeter 2m 7f hcp hdl 0-115 (4) sft.
Milton Des Bieffes (FR) 7-2fav (10-0) Prominent, led 7th until 12th, ridden after 13th, weakening when mistake 2 out, 5th of 11, 16l behind Sunnyhillboy (11-9) at Ludlow 2m 4f hcp chs 0-130 (3) gd.
Aztec Treasure (NZ) 66-1 (10-10) Chased leaders, ridden 3 out, no impression from next, 5th of 15, 19l behind Vivarini (10-7) at Huntingdon 2m 4f nov hcp hdl 0-105 (4) sft in Jan.
Extra Smooth 4-1 (9-13) Towards rear, outpaced 4 out, soon weakened, pulled up before next, in a race won by Toulouse Express (10-1) at Market Rasen 2m 6f hcp chs 0-115 (4) sft in Jan, 10 ran.
Basford Lass 16-1 (10-11) Not fluent, led, headed after 3rd, jumped right 4th, weakened 3 out, tailed off, 7th of 11, 38l behind Dinarius (11-9) at Towcester 2m nh nov hdl (3) hvy in Jan.
Gatien Du Tertre (FR) 13-2 (11-7) In touch, lost place 9th, niggled along, ridden and behind from 14th, 6th of 7, 42l behind The Gangerman (11-12) at Warwick 3m 2f hcp ch 0-110 (4) sft in Jan.
Varekai (IRE) 100-1 (11-4) Pressesd leaders to 3rd, hampered next, already weakened when mistake 5th, tailed off, 8th of 11, 47l behind Dinarius (11-9) at Towcester 2m nh nov hdl (3) hvy in Jan.
Supreme Piper (IRE) 33-1 (10-10) Led until after 7th, weakened quickly, 11th of 14, well behind Kornati Kid (11-9) at Exeter 2m 6f hcp hdl 0-115 (4) gs in Jan '08.
Colonial Jim (IRE) 2-1 (10-13) Tracked leaders, bad mistake 1st, good recovery, mistake 4th, slow 8th and 10th, weakened after 3 out, pulled up after next, in a race won by Mr Floppy (10-3) at Folkestone 2m 5f hcp chs 0-95 (5) sft in Jan, 6 ran.
Laughing Game 10-1 (10-1) Towards rear, ridden 7th, never dangerous, 8th of 14, 31l behind Stick Together (10-9) at Market Rasen 2m 5f nov hcp hdl 0-110 (4) sft.
