towards rear, ridden and headway approaching 5th, weakened after 6th, pulled up before 3 out
prominent, led 4th, ridden 2 out, headed soon after last, hampered under pressure close home
in touch, headway and chased leaders 4th, joined leader 3 out, ridden approaching last, led soon after, edged right close home
in touch, ridden 6th, soon weakened
in touch, headway approaching 4th, chased leader after 6th, ridden behind leaders 3 out, weakened and not fluent 2 out
led to 2nd, chased leaders, ridden approaching 3 out, weakened 2 out
mid-division, weakened 4th, tailed off and pulled up before 6th
always towards rear, shaken up and headway approaching 6th, no impression after
mid-division, ridden and weakened 4th, pulled up before 3 out
held up towards rear, ridden and weakened 4th, no impression
mid-division, headway 5th, ridden after 6th
held up in mid-division, ridden and effort after 6th, weakened just approaching 2 out
mid-division, ridden 4th, kept on same pace from 3 out
in touch, ridden and lost place 5th, behind when pulled up before 2 out
held up last, headway after 4th, weakened 6th
pulled early and chased leaders, ridden approaching 4th, soon weakened
Trip and ground will suit Lodge Lane, who can defy a penalty to take this opener from Forest Pennant, Carruthers and Boomerang. The selection won two heavy ground Uttoxeter bumpers last season before finishing tenth in the champion bumper at the Cheltenham Festival. Stepped up in trip he won more easily than the official margin suggested on his Folkestone reappearance and he looks a smart recruit who can take this prize. Boomerang won a Towcester novices' hurdle last time and is also penalised here. He has yet to prove he handles ground worse than good to soft and does not look as good as the selection on his form thus far. Carruthers won a Chepstow novices' contest on his reappearance and is another yet to prove he handles ground this soft, but he has plenty of scope for improvement and is respected. Paul Nicholls runs Forest Pennant, who won a Kempton bumper but then hung left when second at Chepstow last time. This right handed track might well be against him but he is respected nonetheless. Go Johnny Go comes from a yard in form and who has won this for the past two years, but his bare form does not look good enough and preference is for Lodge Lane.
Boomerang (IRE) 15-2 (10-12) Held up, led 3 out, kept on, won at Towcester 2m 5f nh nov hdl (3) gs in Dec beating Rathcor (10-5) by 5l, 11 ran.
Carruthers 5-1 (10-12) Mid-division, mistake 4th, headway 5th, ridden 3 out, led soon after last, kept on, won at Chepstow 2m 4f nh nov hdl (4) gs in Nov beating What A Friend (10-12) by 1l, 16 ran.
Lodge Lane (IRE) 11-8fav (10-7) In touch, took closer order 5th, led 2 out, hung right and mistake last, idled, driven out, won at Fontwell 2m 4f nov hdl (4) gd in Dec beating Psychomodo (11-5) by 2l, 16 ran.
Crank Hill 50-1 (10-12) Mid-division, headway 6th, ridden 3 out, soon weakened and pulled up 3 out in race won by Boomerang (10-12) at Towcester 2m 5f nh nov hdl (3) gs in Dec, 11 ran.
Forest Pennant (IRE) 11-10fav (10-12) Held up in touch, not fluent 4th, headway 4 out, chased leader approaching 2nd last, kept on well towards finish, 2nd of 14, 1/2l behind Merchent Paddy (10-12) at Chepstow 2m 4f nh nov hdl (4) gs in Nov.
Go Johnny Go (IRE) 16-1 (10-12) Chased leader, slightly hampered 10th, ridden and weakened 3 out, 4th of 6, 21l behind Gone To Lunch (11-5) at Ascot 3m nov hdl (3) gd in Nov.
Hazeam 100-1 (10-12) Mid-division, weakening when mistake 6th, tailed off from next, 12th of 16, well behind Carruthers (10-12) at Chepstow 2m 4f nh nov hdl (4) gs in Nov.
He's My Brother (IRE) 33-1 (10-12) Always towards rear, not fluent 5th and pulled up 4 out in race won by Ardente Sauvage (10-8) at N Abbot 2m 3f mdn hdl (5) sft in Aug, 10 ran.
Jerseyman 14-1 (10-12) Held up, headway 5th, soon ridden, weakened 7th, last of 6, well behind Counting House (10-12) at Exeter 2m 3f nov hdl (3) gf in Nov.
Knapp Bridge Boy 100-1 (10-10) Prominent and keen, went wide and lost place on bend after 4th, soon behind, 10th of 12, well behind Pepporoni Pete (11-6) at N Abbot 2m 1f nov hdl (4) gf in Apr.
Orion Star (IRE) 100-1 (10-12) Always towards rear, 11th of 16, 46l behind Lodge Lane (10-7) at Fontwell 2m 4f nov hdl (4) gd in Dec.
Oscar Bay (IRE) 25-1 (10-12) Chased leader, outpaced approaching 3 out, stayed on again from 2 out, 3rd of 12, 6l behind King Caine (10-9) at Exeter 2m 1f nov hdl (4) sft in Dec.
Peel House 80-1 (10-7) Behind from halfway, 12th of 16, 28l behind Take Me There (11-7) at Hereford 2m 1f nhf (6) gs in Dec.
Plum Pudding (FR) 66-1 (11-2) Mid-division, ridden 6f out, weakened 3f out, 9th of 16, 29l behind Kingston Lane (11-2) at Chepstow 2m nhf (6) gs in Nov.
Rules Apply (IRE) 100-1 (10-12) Prominent until lost place 5th, tailed off, 12th of 14, well behind Mexican Bob (11-8) at Taunton 2m 1f nov hdl (3) gd in Dec.
Whitewater Dash 9-2 (11-8) Mid-division, ridden and weakened over 4f out, 11th of 14, 11l behind Don Castille (11-0) at Stratford 2m mdn nhf (4) gs in Mar '06.
Announcing Alice (IRE) 66-1 (10-5) Led, headed 2nd, stayed prominent until weakened after 7th, 10th of 16, well behind Carruthers (10-12) at Chepstow 2m 4f nh nov hdl (4) gs in Nov.
