raced in rear but in touch, jumped right 1st, headway when hampered 5 out, soon weakened
held up in rear but in touch, blundered 5th, mistake 12th, weakened 14th, behind when pulled up before 3 out
held up in touch, slow 11th, pushed along 12th, blundered next, weakened 4 out
led, jumped well, headed 4 out, rallied approaching last, weakening when lost 2nd flat
tracked leader, driven when blundered 5 out, soon weakened, behind when pulled up before 3 out
held up in touch, chased leaders halfway, driven to challenge 2 out, kept on to take 2nd after last, no chance with winner
always prominent, led 4 out, hard driven from 2 out, stayed on strongly
FINE PARCHMENT impressed when winning at Uttoxeter and can progress again to land this. Charlie Mann's horse has clearly improved for a breathing operation and looks the type to win more races, especially now stepped back up to three miles. Soft ground is no concern and the handicapper has been fair in raising the horse 8lbs for his recent romp. Quattrocento was rather laboured in his jumping at Cheltenham but this is a drop in grade and a better round of jumping should see him close, as it did Federstar last time. He may be better on a sound surface though and is taken on along with Jack The Blaster, who travels so well that one wonders whether this sort of test is what he wants. Cavers Glen and Made In Japan need to leave their reappearance runs behind so Categorical is next best although he hides little from the assessor these days.
Jack The Blaster 8-1 (11-8) Held up behind in touch, blundered and unseated rider 9th, in a race won by Sheriff Hutton (11-12) at Kelso 2m 6f hcp chs 0-130 (3) gd, 8 ran.
Federstar (GER) 15-2 (10-12) Held up in touch, left 3rd 8th, mistake 11th, outpaced 4 out, went 2nd 2 out, stayed on same pace, no impression with winner, 2nd of 6, 6l behind Adams Island (10-10) at Uttoxeter 3m beg chs (4) hvy.
Made In Japan (JPN) 11-4 (11-3) Tracked leaders, lost place after 6 out, rallied approaching next, ridden and weakened 4 out, 4th of 5, 20l behind Incentivise (9-11) at Chepstow 3m hcp chs 0-135 (3) sft in Oct.
Categorical 9-1 (11-1) Held up behind, headway after 5 out, chased leaders 4 out, no extra from last, 3rd of 8, 3 1/2l behind King Fontaine (11-2) at Haydock 3m hcp chs 0-135 (3) gs.
Quattrocento (FR) 11-2fav (10-8) Raced wide towards rear, ridden 10th, headway to chase leaders 4 out, stumbled 3 out, stayed on same pace from next, 6th of 12, 7l behind Rustarix (9-13) at Cheltenham 3m am hcp chs 0-140 (2) gd.
Fine Parchment (IRE) 3-1 (11-4) Tracked leading pair, went 2nd 9th, led 4 out, drew clear from next, stayed on well, comfortably, won at Uttoxeter 2m 4f hcp chs 0-115 (4) hvy beating Deuteronomy (11-2) by 23l, 6 ran.
Cavers Glen 17-2 (10-6) Held up mid-division, headway from 4 out, went 5th from 2 out, no impression, 5th of 12, 8l behind Sotovik (10-7) at Carlisle 2m hcp chs 0-125 (4) gs in Oct.
