towards rear, ridden approaching 8th, soon weakened
led and jumped left, clear 5th, headed and hampered badly 8th, hit 2 out, soon weakened
chased leader, left 3rd and hampered 8th, soon ridden, weakened 3 out
mid-division, ridden and effort when hampered 8th, kept on one pace
towards rear, ridden and lost touch after 7th, tailed off
in touch, headway after 7th, led and going well when fell 8th
mid-division, making headway on leaders when brought down 8th
mid-division, weakened 7th, tailed off from 8th
prominent, left in lead 8th, ridden clear after 3 out, pushed out
mid-division, ridden approaching 8th, weakened 3 out
mid-division, ridden after 7th, weakened next
held up, headway after 3 out, stayed on to go 3rd from last
Nonrunner
Nightfly has questions to answer just now so Minaad is preferred with Dan Buoy best of the rest. Minaad is unbeaten under National Hunt Rules having landed two novice hurdles in the autumn; Dan Buoy was seventeen lengths back in third on the first of those but was conceding 7lbs and may not have acted on the quick ground. Milton Harris's charge followed up in gritty fashion under a penalty with the first two pulling a long way clear of the remainder. His Flat form suggests that he'll cope with this ground and he's on a realistic mark. Dan Buoy outbattled the none too resilient Totally Scottish at Uttoxeter last time and should continue to pay his way but he'll need to improve in order to keep pace with the handicapper. Nightly showed smart form in 2006 but missed the whole of 2007 and was pulled up on his return to action. If connections have nursed him back to his best then he could turn out to be very well handicapped; the market should help but a watching brief is advised. Hereditary and Mendesino also enter calculations but Minaad is the pick.
Cantabilly (IRE) 20-1 (10-13) Held up, headway 7th, ridden and weakened 2 out, 4th of 9, 15l behind Special Rate (10-8) at Bangor 3m hcp hdl 0-135 (3) sft in Dec.
Dan Buoy (FR) 11-1 (11-10) Tracked leaders, ridden and challenged 2 out, led flat, just held on, won at Uttoxeter 3m hcp hdl 0-115 (4) gs in Dec beating Totally Scottish (10-11) by a shd, 15 ran.
Turtle Soup (IRE) 20-1 (11-0) Held up in rear, struggling after 3 out, tailed off, 14th of 18, well behind The Tother One (10-8) at Sandown 2m 6f hcp hdl 0-130 (3) hvy in Dec.
Almizan (IRE) 33-1 (10-13) Always behind, 15th of 17, well behind National Trust (11-7) at Ascot 2m 6f hcp hdl 0-125 (3) gf in Dec.
Hereditary 33-1 (11-4) Mid-division, ridden approaching 4 out, weakened after 3 out, 6th of 10, 37l behind Nycteos (11-5) at Kempton 2m 5f hcp hdl 0-135 (3) gs in Dec.
Nightfly (IRE) 9-2 (11-9) Mid-division, headway 8th, weakened next, no chance when pulled up 2 out in race won by The Very Man (11-6) at Lingfield 2m 7f hcp hdl 0-120 (3) sft, 11 ran.
Minaad (GER) 8-11fav (11-5) Led, ridden and headed briefly approaching 2 out, stayed on well from last, won at Market Rasen 2m 3f nov hdl (4) gd in Nov beating Nez Rouge (11-5) by 2l, 10 ran.
Dalaram (IRE) 80-1 (11-9) Always behind, 9th of 15, 34l behind Pagano (10-13) at Taunton 2m 1f hcp hdl 0-120 (3) gd in Dec.
Cave of The Giant (IRE) 11-1 (11-11) Prominent, led 6th, ridden 7th, hard ridden from last, just held on, won at Fontwell 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-105 (4) gd beating Flower Haven (10-5) by 1/2l, 16 ran.
Jades Double 16-1 (10-9) In rear, headway 5th, lost place 9th, behind from 12th, tailed off when pulled up 5 out in race won by Back On Line (11-6) at Chepstow 3m mrs nov chs (4) hvy, 8 ran.
Kofi 16-1 (11-7) Mid-division, weakened 6th, soon behind, 9th of 17, well behind Busy Henry (11-6) at Exeter 2m 6f nov hcp hdl 0-100 (4) sft.
Geography (IRE) 16-1 (10-13) Pulled early, held up towards rear, weakened 10th and pulled up 2 out in race won by Pitful Tercah (11-3) at Fontwell 3m 3f hcp hdl (5) gd, 14 ran.
Mendosino (GER) 6-1 (11-10) Mid-division, headway after 6th, ridden from 2 out, soon one pace, 4th of 16, 7l behind Joe Brown (11-3) at Hereford 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-115 (4) sft.
