held up, closed after 6th, ridden after next, mistake and weakened 4 out, tailed off
mostly tracked winner, jumped left and not fluent 1st, not fluent next, ridden after 3 out, 4th before 2 out, weakened approaching last
held up in rear, not fluent 1st or 6th, headway next, mistake 8th, ridden approaching 3 out, weakened before next, tailed off
tracked leaders on inside, ridden after 3 out, slightly hampered 2 out, soon went into 2nd, no impression on winner, stayed on same pace
agressively ridden, made all, pressed when left clear 2 out, driven out
held up in rear, mistake 4th, not fluent 6th, not on terms and ridden in 6th after 3 out, never dangerous
mid-division, hit 1st, bad mistake 4th, behind 6th, tailed off
tracked leaders, went close 2nd and still not ridden when bad mistake 2 out, soon demoted to 3rd and beaten, stayed on same pace
prominent, chased winner 6th until jumped slowly next, soon lost place, tailed off
Hard to be confident about any of these but FREE SPEECH led until the last when runner-up to Hunt Ball over a longer trip here last month. The winner has won easily again since so the form looks fairly solid and in-form Jim Best has engaged AP McCoy for the ride again today. He gets the vote though Zen Factor makes his chasing debut off a potentially lenient mark and his run over hurdles at Lingfield should have blown away a few cobwebs. Whitcombe Spirit ran his best races over hurdles but Knock Boy has had plenty of chances and My Faithful Annie lacks scope. Goat Castle was frustrating to follow over hurdles and his chase career may be going the same way after a modest first effort at Lingfield.
Goat Castle (IRE) 3-1fav (11-9) Chased winner until ridden and dropped to 3rd on long run to 3 out, weakened 3 out, tailed off, 4th of 6, 37l behind Bankstair (11-11) at Lingfield 2m hcp 0-100 (5) gd in Nov.
Zen Factor 15-2 (10-12) Led until 4 out, weakened before 2 out, 9th of 12, 28l behind Manshoor (11-3) at Lingfield 2m hcp hdl 0-110 (4) gs in Nov.
Billion Dollar Kid 25-1 (11-0) Tracked leaders on outside, not fluent 1st, gradually lost place before next, behind from 5th, tailed off, 6th of 9, well behind Prospect Wells (11-5) at Newbury 2m nh nov hdl (3) gs in Nov.
Sawago (FR) 4-1 (11-7) Held up in rear, detached when blundered 7th, tailed off when pulled up before 2 out, in a race won by Sablazo (10-3) at Fontwell 2m 2f nov hcp chs 0-100 (5) gs in Nov, 7 ran.
Free Speech 3-1 (11-2) Led, clear 11th, mistake next, ridden before 2 out, headed last, no extra flat, 2nd of 6, 3 1/2l behind Hunt Ball (10-0) at Folkestone 2m 5f nov hcp chs 0-95 (5) gf in Nov.
Whitcombe Spirit 20-1 (10-0) Behind, mistake 1st, ridden 4th, soon beaten, hampered 2 out, 7th of 12, 19l behind Manshoor (11-3) at Lingfield 2m hcp hdl 0-110 (4) gs in Nov.
Big Bertie (IRE) 3-1fav (11-1) Led, went left 3rd, hit 9th, ridden and headed before 2 out, over 2 lengths down when left in lead last, badly hampered and headed soon after, rallied towards finish, but not recover, 2nd of 5, 3/4l behind Rince Donn (10-12) at Folkestone 2m hcp chs 0-90 (5) sft in Mar.
Knock Boy (IRE) 100-1 (10-11) Tracked leaders in 3rd, left chasing winner from 3rd until before 2 out, no impression, 3rd of 4, 21l behind Chablais (11-0) at Kempton 2m nov chs (3) gd in Nov.
My Faithful Annie (IRE) 33-1 (10-2) Not always fluent, led, hit 2nd, headed approaching 7th, dropped to last before next, soon struggling, left poor 2nd 3 out, no chance when ridden between last 2, 2nd of 3, 6l behind Temple Lord (11-0) at Folkestone 2m beg chs (5) gf in Nov.
