pressed winner, mistake 7th, blundered and unseated rider next
made all, mistake 1st, ridden approaching omitted 3 out, soon hard pressed, stayed on gamely, held on (3 fences in home straight omitted on all circuits)
tracked leaders, left 3rd at 8th, outpaced approaching omitted 3 out, soon ridden, rallied final 120 yards, went 2nd and held final strides
tracked leaders, close up when left 2nd at 8th, hit 2 out (usual 5 out), poised to challenge before omitted 3 out, ridden and not quicken approaching bypassed last, kept on towards finish, held when lost 2nd final strides
Holywell looked in need of the run at Carlisle last month and ran accordingly. He'll strip fitter here but his stable remain out of sorts and the seven-year-old tends to come good in the spring. Sam Winner was given an enterprising ride when making a winning reappearance at Cheltenham but may be on the up and Medermit is no slouch, though has never won beyond 2m4f. MA FILLEULE made too many mistakes to get involved behind all-the-way winner Road To Riches in a Grade 1 at Down Royal on her reappearance but she's better than that. She can reverse Cheltenham running in March with Holywell and take this if jumping better today.
Holywell (IRE) 5-2 (11-12) Close up, not fluent 7th, went 2nd 8th, ridden 4 out, kept on one pace, 3rd of 6, 17l behind Many Clouds (11-6) at Carlisle 2m 4f lst chs (1) sft in Nov.
Sam Winner (FR) 15-2 (11-12) Tracked leaders, lost place 6th, pushed along after 10th, headway after 11th, outpaced 13th, rallied from 18th, led 3 out, clear 2 out, hit last, driven out, won at Cheltenham 3m 3f Grade 3 hcp chs (4yo+) (1) sft in Nov beating The Druids Nephew (11-6) by 1 1/2l, 14 ran.
Medermit (FR) 50-1 (11-7) Held up towards rear, headway after 5 out, weakened 4 out, 6th of 9, 21l behind Silviniaco Conti (11-7) at Haydock 3m 1f chs G1 (1) sft in Nov.
Ma Filleule (FR) 9-2 (11-3) Tracked leaders, 5th halfway, no extra after 3 out, weakened, 5th of 8, well behind Road To Riches (11-10) at Down Royal 3m chs G1 (1) in Nov.
