held up towards rear, pushed along after 3rd, never dangerous
tracked leaders, led 16th, ridden approaching 2 out, headed after last, rallied run-in, just held near finish
held up behind, reminders and headway approaching 15th, went 4th approaching next, weakened 3 out
in touch, soon chased leaders, blundered 15th, soon lost place, pulled up before 17th
mid-division on inside, headway 13th, went 3rd at 15th, chased leader 18th, ridden before 2 out led after last, kept towards finish, just held on
with leader, pushed along and lost place 4th, behind from 10th, tailed off when pulled up before 17th
held up towards rear, headway 12th, went 3rd 3 out, weakened from next
in rear, never dangerous, pulled up before 18th
tracked leaders, led 6th, headed 16th, in 3rd and weakening when unseated rider 18th
mid-division, pushed along approaching 13th, plugged on from 3 out, went 3rd at last, no impression
led, not fluent and headed 6th, soon pushed along and lost place, tailed off when pulled up before 17th
Chepstow winner Incentivise has won over 3m3f but didn't appear to get home over this trip at Cheltenham in April. Petite Margot is back on a winning mark but isn't getting any younger and her last few runs have been modest, while Pennek has never fulfilled his potential over fences and the potentially well-handicapped pair Fine By Me and Shrewd Investment appear to have lost their way. Gilsland is chasing a four-timer and his stable is in cracking form but we prefer the claims of VOLCANIC ROCK. Badly hampered and eased when a well-beaten sixth at Stratford when last seen, the Irish raider had displayed a decent level of form over extreme distances previously and shouldn't be written off just yet.
Pennek (FR) 4-1 (11-6) Led, ridden and headed between 4 out and 3 out, keeping on one pace when hampered and left 3rd at last, 3rd of 5, 14l behind Quinder Spring (10-0) at Market Rasen 3m 1f nov hcp chs 0-130 (3) sft in Nov.
Gilsland (IRE) 9-2 (10-9) Tracked leaders, reminders after 5 out, soon outpaced, ralled to chase leader approaching 3 out, led 2 out, just held on towards finish, driven out, won at Wetherby 3m 1f hcp chs 0-130 (3) gs in Nov beating Dawn Ride (10-8) by hd, 8 ran.
Volcanic Rock (IRE) 6-1 (11-12) Held up in rear, hampered 13th (water), not fluent 15th, headway 4 out, not much room next, weakened after 2 out, 6th of 8, 30l behind Runshan (10-8) at Stratford 3m 4f hcp chs 0-120 (3) gs in Oct.
Fine By Me (IRE) 9-1 (11-5) Badly hampered 1st, behind, mistake next, well behind when pulled up before 6th, in a race won by Rebel Melody (11-2) at Wincanton 3m 3f hcp chs 0-115 (4) gs in Nov, 6 ran.
Incentivise (IRE) 11-4 (9-11) Held up in rear but in touch, went 2nd approaching 3 out, led approaching last, driven out run-in, won at Chepstow 3m hcp chs 0-135 (3) sft in Oct beating Den of Iniquity (11-12) by 1 3/4l, 5 ran.
Petite Margot 17-2 (11-4) Chased leaders, reminders and lost place after 6th, behind and under pressure when brought down 9th, in a race won by C'monthehammers (11-10) at Exeter 4m hcp chs 0-120 (3) gs, 12 ran.
Ayemdee (IRE) 9-2 (11-9) Mistake 2nd, behind, left 4th and last 5th, struggling 8th, went remote 3rd after 4 out until 2 out, never near leaders, tailed off, 4th of 6, well behind Fine Parchment (11-4) at Uttoxeter 2m 4f hcp chs 0-115 (4) hvy in Nov.
Silver Bay 12-1 (10-13) Held up in touch, under pressure 4 out, soon weakened, 7th of 10, 42l behind Fit To Drive (11-9) at Sandown 3m hcp chs 0-125 (3) gd in Nov.
Shrewd Investor (IRE) 7-1 (11-9) Tracked leaders, led 5th until next, slipped bend approaching 4 out, weakened before 3 out, tailed off, 4th of 7, 45l behind Backfromthecongo (11-9) at Leicester 2m 7f hcp chs 0-105 (4) gd in Nov.
Glebehall Bay (IRE) 5-1 (11-10) Tracked leaders after 2nd, ridden 11th, outpaced next, rallying when not much room after 15th, soon well held, mistake 3 out, 6th of 9, 46l behind Azulada Bay (11-8) at Ludlow 3m nov hcp chs 0-110 (4) gs in Nov.
September Moon 28-1 (10-1) With leader, not fluent 3rd, lost place after 5th, struggling after, well behind before 8th, soon pulled up, in a race won by Bellflower Boy (11-4) at Huntingdon 3m 2f hcp hdl 0-105 (4) gs in Nov, 12 ran.
