close up in rear, hit 3rd, ridden and no impression 3 out, left 3rd at last
tracked leader until ridden 3 out, soon outpaced by leading pair, left with every chance at last, kept on one pace
tracked leaders, chased leader 3 out, 8 lengths down when left clear approaching last, jumped sharply right and unseated rider
tracked leaders, ridden 4 out, outpaced by leading pair 3 out, 10 lengths down when left clear last, ridden out (lucky winner)
led, ridden clear 2 out, race at mercy when blundered and fell last
Lower Hope Dandy has been upped 8lb for an easy win at Cheltenham but that was back in April 2013. SERIENSCHOCK has the more recent form with a second at Exeter, where he finished ahead of a subsequent winner, and he gets the vote to go one better in this. Volcanic won three times last season but failed to complete upped in grade for his reappearance while Kilmurvy looks in the handicapper's grip and Who Owns Me will just be hoping for a clear round after slipping up at Haydock last time.
Volcanic (FR) 12-1 (11-3) Tracked leaders on inside, not fluent 6th, lost place next, mistake 8th and when behind 10th, pulled up before 12th, in a race won by Golden Hoof (11-3) at Aintree 2m 4f nov chs (3) gd in Oct, 8 ran.
Who Owns Me (IRE) 20-1 (11-7) Held up mid-division, slipped and fell on bend before 4th, in a race won by Closing Ceremony (11-5) at Haydock 3m hcp hdl 0-130 (3) sft, 14 ran.
Serienschock (GER) 11-1 (11-12) Chased leader, ridden after 5th, led narrowly 3 out, headed 2 out, soon one pace in 3rd, left modest 2nd at the last, 2nd of 5, 5l behind Dormello Mo (11-10) at Exeter 2m 1f hcp hdl 0-135 (3) hvy.
Kilmurvy (IRE) 5-1 (11-6) Led, headed after 3rd, led again 3 out, headed before next, soon weakened, 5th of 11, 9l behind Little Boy Boru (10-5) at Sandown 2m 4f cond hcp hdl (0-130) (3) sft.
Lower Hope Dandy 16-1 (10-9) Always prominent, led 2 out, clear approaching last, stayed on well, won at Cheltenham 3m nov hcp hdl 0-125 (3) gs in Apr '13 beating Prophete De Guye (10-13) by 16l, 17 ran.
