held up on outside, mistake and unseated rider 2nd
chased leaders, lost place before not fluent 6th, not fluent 8th, well beaten from 10th, plugged on to take remote 4th latter stages
chased leaders, 2nd 9th, driven after 2 out, held by winner flat, kept on
held up in mid-division, mistake 1st, headway 7th, 3rd 4 out until slow next, soon weakened
prominent early, chased leaders, blundered 8th, well beaten from next
led, clear 3rd until 7th, headed after next, well beaten from 4 out
tracked leader, led after 8th, ridden before last, kept on well flat
in rear, not fluent 2nd, behind and jumping slowly after, tailed off 7th, pulled up after next
held up in mid-division, blundered 1st, headway 9th, 3rd from 3 out, well held by front pair next
in rear, ridden after 7th, not fluent and behind from 7th, pulled up before 9th
struggling towards rear after 2nd, pulled up after 6th
Barton Rose has only had two runs over fences in the spring of last year and is plating class over hurdles. Bennachie began over the bigger obstacles with a good second at Bangor in May but has run very poorly subsequently. Pembroke House is back on the same mark as when gaining his only victory over fences and has to be on the short-list while Ballyegan, the winner of six races over fences, looked on the way back to form here last month. Bandol scored over the minimum at Worcester in September but was beaten when falling at Southwell and prefers quicker ground. MR BACHSTER has a strike-rate of 4-13 over fences and though well beaten when third at Ffos Las last month that was his first start since April and he would have a fine chance on his victory at Towcester in January so gets the vote.
Bennachie (IRE) 12-1 (10-9) Held up, pushed along and struggling after 8th, soon lost touch, tailed off, 6th of 9, dist behind Better Days (10-3) at Lingfield 2m 4f hcp (4) gs in Dec.
Barton Rose 11-2 (11-7) Held up, in touch, chased winner from 3 out, weakened from last, 6th of 16, 17 3/4l behind Super Sam (11-12) at Hereford 2m 4f hcp (4) sft in Nov.
Pembroke House 7-2 (11-5) Held up in rear but in touch, headway 3 out, never on terms, 4th of 7, 21l behind Cruchain (11-7) at Stratford 2m 5f hcp (4) sft in Jun.
Mr Bachster (IRE) 14-1 (11-10) Tracked leaders, ridden 3 out, kept on same pace, 3rd of 5, 30 1/4l behind Twenty Eight Guns (11-12) at Ffos Las 2m 3f hcp (5) sft in Nov.
Gustav (IRE) 50-1 (11-2) In rear, closed before 4th, lost place approaching 9th, behind 13th, 6th of 10, 37l behind The Jugopolist (10-0) at Huntingdon 3m hcp (4) gs in Dec.
Ballyegan (IRE) 7-1 (10-8) With winner, led 2nd, headed 5 out, soon outpaced, chased winner from last, kept on and lost 2nd place close home, 3rd of 8, 7 1/4l behind Copper Birch (11-12) at Hereford 2m 3f hcp (4) sft in Nov.
Bandol (IRE) 9-2 (10-11) Jumped right, led, headed 3 out, beaten when baulked next, fell last, at Southwell 2m hcp (5) gd in Oct.
King Of Milan (IRE) 12-1 (10-12) Led, headed when hit 11th, ridden after 5 out, hit next, soon lost place, no chance with clear trio from 3 out, lost remote 4th towards finish, tailed off, 5th of 9, dist behind Royal Salute (11-12) at Fontwell 2m 5f hcp (5) sft in Nov.
Welsh Designe 18-1 (10-0) Mid-division, headway 4th, bumped 9th, ridden before 4 out, disputing 4 lengths 2nd when fell 3 out, at Ludlow 3m hcp (4) gf in Oct.
Red Whisper 66-1 (10-0) Always behind, pulled up before last, at Stratford 2m hcp (5) gd in Oct.
Sussex Road (IRE) 14-1 (10-3) Always behind, reminders after 3rd, pushed along and struggling when pulled up before 9th, at Southwell 3m 2f hcp (5) gs in Dec.