close up, blundered 5th, 6 lengths down and driven 2 out, soon ridden, stayed on under pressure to lead towards finish
tracked leaders, led 5th, 6 lengths clear 2 out, soon ridden, kept on until headed and no extra towards finish
with leader, led 2nd, blundered next, headed 5th, chased leaders, outpaced when mistake 5 out, soon beaten
led to 2nd, chased leaders, reminders 7th, struggling from 10th, tailed off
Nonrunner
Disappointingly just the six runners are set to line up for this novices' chase in which it is hard to get away from COMPANERO who made a winning start to his chasing career at Carlisle in good fashion in November, followed up back over hurdles and Howard Johnson's gelding should be too classy for his rivals today so he gets the vote ahead of Quws Law and Creinch. The last mentioned, a winner at Sandown in November, has run well in four subsequent starts and he has to be considered having an advantage of experience over the selection. Overlady and Michel Henry make limited appeal and of more interest may be the Nicky Richards-trained Gentle Approach, who showed respectable form over hurdles but seems likely to do better now switched to the larger obstacles and he has to be considered. There should be little to choose between Gentle Approach and Quws Law on the revised terms that the pair meet on following their runs here in November where Lucinda Russell's gelding came out on top. Both have a tough task to get the better of Companero though and Howard Johnson's gelding looks the one to be on.
Companero (IRE) 7-2 (11-12) Chased leader, hit 2nd, led approaching 2 out, soon clear, ridden out, won at Hexham 3m hcp hdl 0-135 (3) hvy in Nov beating Twelve Paces (9-8) by 8l, 7 ran.
Quws Law (IRE) 11-10fav (11-2) Made all, mistake 11th, 6 lengths clear 2 out, not fluent last, ridden and held on flat, won at Ayr 3m 1f beg chs (4) gs in Nov beating Great Approach (10-13) by 2l, 6 ran.
Great Approach (IRE) 2-1 (10-13) Held up in touch, went 2nd 12th, blundered 3 out, 6 lengths 2nd next, rallied approaching last, kept on flat, 2nd of 6, 2l behind Quws Law (11-2) at Ayr 3m 1f beg chs (4) gs in Nov.
Mitchel Henry (IRE) 12-1 (9-7) In touch, chased leaders approaching 9th, led next, blundered 4 out, soon headed, one pace from last, 3rd of 9, 3l behind Sammy Spiderman (10-0) at Ayr 2m 5f nov hcp chs (4) hvy in Dec.
Creinch 16-1 (10-9) Held up towards rear, headway 14th, stayed on from 3 out, never reached leaders, 4th of 18, 13l behind Fleet Street (11-10) at Kempton 3m hcp chs 0-140 (2) gd in Dec.
Overlady 14-1 (11-4) Held up, smooth headway to track leaders approaching 3 out, ridden and chased winner from approaching last one pace run-in, 2nd of 9, 3 1/2l behind Fiftyfive Degrees (11-11) at Hexham 3m 1f mdn hts chs (6) hvy in Apr.
