led, headed, outpaced approaching 3 out, rallied to take 2nd flat
tracked leaders 3rd, weakened 9th, very tired 2 out
in rear, reminders 4th, ridden 7th, chased leading trio 4 out, weakened, jumped badly left 3 out, pulled up before next
tracked leader, lost place 4th, weakened 7th, tailed off, pulled up before 3 out
tracked leaders, ridden to lead approaching 3 out, ridden, headed after 2 out, weakened approaching last
prominent, tracked leader 5th, led after 2 out, ridden out
A decent novices' chase for the track here with Battlecry the nomination to outpoint Overstrand and Missis Potts. Nigel Twiston-Davies's' runner drops back to two miles here and this softer ground, which he should handle ok, will help to bring his stamina into play. He has already won one chase and ran well when bettered only by the excellent Hobbs Hill at Ascot last time and that is smart form in anyone's book. Missis Potts may well prove the danger. The mare makes her chasing debut and if translating some good hurdling form straight to fences then she should not be too far away from Battlecry. Overstrand would make them all go if he could reproduce his own hurdling abilities but there is still plenty for him to prove here after some ordinary recent efforts. Orlyheart will handle the ground, as will Robin De Sherwood. The latter makes his chase debut for Paul Nicholls and it is likely that improvement will result, but for today we prefer Battlecry.
Battlecry 13-2 (11-0) Chased winner, every chance when pecked 3 out, ridden and beaten before next, 2nd of 4, 8l behind Hobbs Hill (11-6) at Ascot 2m 3f nov chs Grd 2 (1) gf in Dec.
Orrezzo (GER) 100-1 (11-2) Keen, in touch, lost place 7th, tailed off when pulled up 5 out in race won by Thunder Rock (11-2) at Ludlow 2m 4f beg chs (4) gd in Nov, 10 ran.
Overstrand (IRE) 5-1 (11-0) Held up, headway 5th, jumped slowly and lost place 7th, rallied 2 out, stayed on flat, 3rd of 6, 14l behind Presenting Copper (10-7) at Warwick 2m beg chs (4) sft in Dec.
River Logic (IRE) 25-1 (11-9) Held up in touch, lost place from 4 out, 8th of 9, 28l behind Traprain (11-2) at Wetherby 2m hcp hdl 0-130 (3) gf in Nov.
Robin De Sherwood (FR) 22-1 (11-12) Mid-division, weakened 3 out, tailed off when pulled up at the last in race won by Mendo (11-7) at Cheltenham 2m 5f hcp hdl 0-135 (3) sft in Nov, 19 ran.
Missis Potts 12-1 (11-4) Never reached beyond mid-division, 9th of 17, 18l behind Jack The Giant (11-0) at Ascot 2m lst hcp hdl (1) gf in Dec.
Orlyheart (FR) 28-1 (10-11) Close up when unseated rider at the 8th in race won by Cousin Nicky (11-10) at Taunton 2m 3f clm chs (3) gs, 4 ran.
