brought down 1st
hampered by loose horse and unseated rider 2nd
hampered 1st, chased leaders, lost place 9th, headway 13th, weakened 3 out, left poor 2nd last
hampered 1st and 2nd, always in rear, pulled up before 2 out
hampered 1st, held up, headway 4 out, went 2nd before next, narrow lead and going better when left well clear last
fell 1st
left in lead 1st, made most until after 4 out, weakened 3 out
pulled hard, left pressing leader after 1st, lost 2nd 12th, blundered next, soon weakened, pulled up before 3 out
hampered 1st, held up, headway 8th, went 2nd 12th, hit next, led after 4 out, ridden after 2 out, narrowly headed when fell last
Sean Curran's Ray Mond won well enough when successful at Warwick last month but a 7lb rise for that victory makes following up no easy task and preference is for the Evan Williams-trained RUSSELLSTOWN BOY, who gets the vote over stable companion Moon Melody. The son of Montjeu has shown signs of ability in recent starts but just one win from 38 starts over hurdles and nine over fences is a great concern for the six-year-old and he may be best watched. Don McCain's Grasscutter remains a maiden after 13 starts over both hurdles and fences and faces no easy task giving weight away all round, while Bob's Temptation has a nice racing weight but is another that has yet to win a race. Preference then is for Russellstown Boy, who has yet to win under rules but did score in a point-to-point in Ireland. He showed his best form over regulation fences when a creditable second to the well-handicapped Dusk at Ffos Las last month and reproduction of that form may well suffice.
Grasscutter (IRE) 6-1 (11-2) Tracked leaders, ridden after 4 out, weakened approaching 3 out, mistake 2 out, 3rd of 7, 30l behind Charingworth (11-2) at Sedgefield 2m 4f mdn chs (4) gd in Nov.
Palos Conti (FR) 40-1 (11-4) Held up in rear, badly hampered 7th, no chance when blundered 3 out, 8th of 14, 27l behind Far More Serious (11-12) at Hereford 2m 3f hcp chs 0-105 (4) gd in Nov.
Russellstown Boy (IRE) 6-1 (11-8) Took keen hold in 3rd until not fluent at 8th (4 out), 4th, pushed along and outpaced approaching 3 out where mistake, no impression when left modest 2nd at last, 2nd of 4, 6l behind Dusk (11-5) at Ffos Las 2m 3f am hcp ch 0-95 (5) sft in Nov.
Moon Melody (GER) 10-1 (11-4) Close up on inside, chased leading pair 3 out until ridden and weakened before next, tailed off, 4th of 6, 18l behind Its A Classic (11-5) at Plumpton 3m 2f nov hcp chs 0-100 (4) hvy in Nov.
Sanpor (IRE) 5-1 (12-0) Alw rr, pu 4out, in a race won by Falspar (12-0) at Ballydarragh 3m ire ptp in Nov, 19 ran.
Ray Mond 14-1 (9-11) Jumped right and several mistakes, chased leaders, led 10th, made most after, 3 lengths clear when jumped right and mistake 3 out, kept on gamely from last, won at Warwick 3m 2f hcp chs 0-95 (5) gd in Nov beating Jackie Boy (11-12) by 4l, 10 ran.
Kahyasi Jack (IRE) 12-1 (11-0) Tracked leaders, left in lead 8th, headed 13th, soon weakened, tailed off, unseated rider 3 out, in a race won by You Can Of Course (10-10) at Plumpton 3m 2f nov hcp chs 0-90 (5) gd in Nov, 12 ran.
Quondor Noire (FR) 16-1 (9-7) Held up in rear, took keen hold, headway 6th, blundered, unseated rider next, in a race won by Cartier Opera (10-0) at Towcester 2m 3f nov hcp chs 0-100 (4) gs in Nov, 10 ran.
Sean Og (IRE) 8-1 (10-0) Held up in rear, not fluent 2nd, some headway approaching 3 out, not fluent 2 out, never on terms, 7th of 15, 41l behind That's For Sure (9-13) at Towcester 2m sell hcp hdl 0-90 (5) hvy in Feb.
Bob's Temptation 20-1 (9-11) Hampered 1st, behind until stayed on approaching last, never nearer, 6th of 13, 24l behind Star Galaxy (9-9) at Hereford 2m nov hcp chs 0-95 (5) gs in Nov.
