fell 1st
held up, ridden 4 out, one pace
mid-division, ridden and lost touch approaching 4 out
prominent, headway and challenged after 4 out, ridden and no chance from 3 out
prominent, jumped left from 6th, chased winner 12th, jumped badly left, no chance from 3 out
led, fell 2nd
hampered 1st, mid-division until mistake and unseated rider 11th
chased leader, left in lead 2nd, hit 11th, mistake 4 out, quickened approaching 2 out, soon clear, eased flat
There isn't a great deal to choose between this bunch on their hurdling form and there's not a great deal of chase form to go on. The good form of the O'Neill yard means that it may be worth siding with SAPHIR DES BOIS ahead of the likes of New Team and Haar. Oncle Kid looks up against it at the weights and has jumping issues to iron out and Cold Mountain may also be best watched returning from a break. Bertie May ran well over three miles at Taunton and merits respect in this grade on his chase bow as does Sharajan who also drops in trip following his third in a Newbury handicap chase behind Tricky Trickster. Haar has rarely raced beyond the minimum trip over hurdles but he was staying on at Leicester last time. Stripe Me Blue was a free running sort over hurdles with a touch of ability but he was very disappointing at Kempton when Ruby Walsh took over from his regular pilot. New Team should be capable of better than he showed on his chase bow but the yard are finding winners hard to come by unlike Jonjo O'Neill who has hit a rich seam. This French import has won one of his seven starts over fences in France and should cope with the ground and the trip. It just remains to be seen whether Saphir Des Bois is good enough to win this tight heat and the market should provide us with some indication.
Bertie May 4-1 (11-4) Tracked leader, ridden to chase winner after 9th, no chance with winner when hit 2 out, lost 2nd flat, 3rd of 10, 14l behind Gullible Gordon (11-7) at Taunton 3m hcp hdl 0-120 (3) sft in Dec.
Cold Mountain (IRE) 16-1 (10-9) Mid-division, ridden and pulled up 3 out in race won by Indian Pipe Dream (10-11) at N Abbot 2m 6f hcp hdl 0-140 (2) gd in Aug, 16 ran.
New Team (FR) 10-3 (11-1) Chased leader until 4 out, soon ridden inside and no chance after, 3rd of 5, 21l behind Panjo Bere (11-7) at Plumpton 2m 4f nov chs (3) sft in Nov.
Oncle Kid (FR) 8-1 (10-12) Held up towards rear when fell at the 7th in race won by Alcatras (10-1) at Wincanton 2m 5f hcp chs 0-115 (4) gs in Dec, 12 ran.
Sharajan (IRE) 16-1 (11-5) Prominent, ridden approaching 4 out, switched right after 3 out, in 3rd and beaten when blundered 2 out, weakened last, 3rd of 9, 12l behind Tricky Trickster (11-5) at Newbury 3m nov hcp chs (3) sft in Dec.
Stripe Me Blue 5-1 (11-1) Led until headed 6th, led after next, headed and weakened before 2 out, 12th of 19, 27l behind Royaleety (10-2) at Kempton 2m 5f hcp hdl 0-135 (3) gd in Dec.
Haar 10-3fav (11-5) Chased leader to 3rd, remained handy, outpaced after 3 out, hung right approaching last, ran on flat, 3rd of 10, 7l behind Mujamead (10-12) at Leicester 2m hcp hdl 0-125 (3) gd in Nov.
Saphir Des Bois (FR) (10-10) In touch, led 2 out, soon headed, no extra, 2nd of 7, 2l behind Quebir Bere (10-10) at Auteuil 2m 1f ch in Nov.
