Whitewater Dash and Notabotheronme both have claims here but we will take a chance with LAUDAMUS now he is stepped up slightly in trip. The veteran has not been easy to win with in a career beset by injuries, but the Alners have done a good job with him nonetheless and he has been runner-up on three of his last four starts. He stuck on really well when just short-headed by Rosie All Over at Exeter last time, he acts well with cut, and this extra furlong-and-a-half might just give him enough time to finally break his duck over fences. Whitewater Dash was a Bangor winner last time, when he did the job nicely enough over 2m 5f. He didn't get home over three miles at that same track last spring and the combination of an 8lb rise plus distance doubts mean we will take him on. Notabotheronme could be a more serious challenger. The seven-year-old won at Chepstow on desperate ground and he is another going up 8lb for that success. There are no stamina doubts with him, and he might be capable of more improvement himself, so he looks a danger. Tarquinius is the unknown quantity here. Charlie Mann now handles the French-bred chaser whose form around the provinces is impossible to assess, and the market may be the best guide. Von Galen tries headgear for the first time but it will need to work a minor miracle for him and we will tentatively side with Laudamus here.
Tarquinius (FR) (10-3) 2nd of 3, 5l behind Tresor Clementais (10-7) at Jallais 2m 6f chs gd in Jun.
Notabotheronme (IRE) 7-2fav (11-1) In touch, lost place 11th, headway 5 out, ridden in 3rd when mistake 3 out, stayed on to lead flat, drifted right, driven out, won at Chepstow 3m hcp chs 0-110 (4) hvy in Dec beating Samsbro (11-7) by 2l, 11 ran.
Whitewater Dash 4-1 (11-3) Held up, headway approaching 11th, led approaching last, stayed on well, won at Bangor 2m 4f hcp chs 0-105 (4) sft in Dec beating Lost In Normandy (10-1) by 5l, 7 ran.
Von Galen (IRE) 7-1 (11-8) With leaders, weakened 10th and pulled up 4 out in race won by Captain Aubrey (11-11) at Towcester 2m 6f hcp chs 0-110 (4) sft in Nov, 6 ran.
Laudamus 9-2jt-fav (11-0) Always prominent, challenged approaching 3 out, ridden after 2 out, led last, soon headed, kept on, 2nd of 9, shd behind Rosie All Over (11-12) at Exeter 3m nov hcp chs 0-105 (4) sft in Dec.
And Your Point Is (USA) 66-1 (11-5) Prominent, ridden 5th, soon weakened and pulled up in race won by Deep Pockets (11-7) at Exeter 2m 5f amt hcp hdl 0-100 (4) sft in Dec, 17 ran.
Wasntme (IRE) 25-1 (11-0) Chased leading pair until lost touch 10th, last of 4, well behind Sovereign King (11-0) at Plumpton 2m 4f beg chs (3) sft in Dec.
