held up, weakened quickly after 8th, pulled up before 11th
mid-division, struggling from 9th, not a danger after
held up, headway 9th, ridden approaching 4 out, stayed on from 2 out
made all, stayed on strongly approaching last, ridden out
tracked leaders, ridden and weakened approaching 4 out, pulled up before last
held up, hung and jumped violently left from 5th, tailed off when ran out 9th
mid-division, headway 9th, effort 4 out, one pace from 2 out
tracked winner, pressed winner from 4 out, every chance 2 out, held when switched right approaching last
prominent until 9th, soon behind, broke blood vessel
hit 1st, in touch until stumbled badly and unseated rider 3rd
This is a wide open contest in which the leading lights are Maljimar, Bring Me Sunshine and From Dawn To Dusk and the vote is given to the last mentioned. The selection hails from a yard in good form and he ran an improved race over fences last time at Ludlow when finishing third behind Wiscalitus. This 8-year-old was decent over hurdles and nominal improvement should make him competitive today. Maljimar is interesting as his form looks quite solid and he won well last time at Newbury. He remains open to further improvement and he should be thereabouts at the finish. Bring Me Sunshine won on his first try over fences last time but that was a modest affair and he will need to improve again to get his head in front. Wild Is The Wind might be worth another chance after unseating his rider last time out, but From Dawn Till Dusk looks to be going the right way over fences and he could be up to landing this prize.
Bring Me Sunshine (IRE) 5-1 (11-4) Tracked leaders, left 2nd at the 8th, led after 3 out, comfortably, won at Taunton 2m beg chs (4) sft beating Spidam (10-13) by 6l, 6 ran.
Bowleaze (IRE) 4-1fav (11-6) Held up towards rear, ridden and weakened 11th, 6th of 11, 43l behind Nykel (10-13) at Wincanton 3m 1f hcp chs 0-125 (3) gs in Dec.
Down The Stretch 12-1 (10-5) Held up towards rear, behind 7th, outpaced approaching 4 out, kept on flat, 4th of 8, 21l behind Avitta (11-3) at Exeter 2m 3f hcp chs 0-130 (3) gs in Dec.
From Dawn To Dusk 5-1 (11-3) Led 2nd, headed 12th, chased winner 4 out, weakened approaching 2 out, 3rd of 8, 9l behind Wiscalitus (11-3) at Ludlow 2m 4f nov chs (3) gs in Jan.
Idris (GER) 4-1 (11-10) Held up, hit 3rd and 7th, challenged for 3rd from 10th, no extra from last, 4th of 5, 19l behind Classified (11-10) at Fontwell 2m 6f nov chs (3) gs in Dec.
Keenan's Future (IRE) 14-1 (11-6) Tracked leaders, jumped left 5th, weakened before 3 out, 3rd of 5, well behind Ungaro (11-12) at Huntingdon 2m 4f nov chs (3) gd in Nov.
Maljimar (IRE) 7-2 (10-13) Chased leaders in 4th, went 3rd after 11th, chased leader 4 out, led 3 out, in command when blundered last, won at Newbury 2m 2f nov hcp chs 0-125 (3) sft beating Officier De Reserve (11-10) by 5l, 6 ran.
Stern (IRE) 6-1 (11-10) Prominent until ridden and fell at the 6th in race won by Alphabetical (11-11) at Wincanton 2m 5f hcp chs 0-115 (4) gs in Dec, 11 ran.
Wild Is The Wind (FR) 7-2 (11-6) Tracked leaders, not fluent 11th, ridden 15th, weakened after 17th, blundered 4 out, behind when unseated rider 3 out in race won by Latimer's Place (11-8) at Newbury 3m 2f hcp chs 0-130 (3) sft in Dec, 7 ran.
Ma Furie (FR) 20-1 (10-13) Behind, blundered 10th, struggling 4 out, tailed off when pulled up 4 out in race won by Idole First (11-10) at Kempton 2m 4f hcp chs 0-135 (3) gs in Jan, 12 ran.
