tracked leaders on inside, not fluent 10th or 13th, lost place before 15th, well beaten 4 out, pulled up after
in touch in rear, closed 11th, challenged 4 out until next, weakened well before 2 out
made all, not fluent 10th or 2 out, edged left before last, clear flat, stayed on
tracked leaders, challenged 3 out until after next, went 2nd before last, one pace, no impression on winner
tracked leaders on outside, challenged 15th until after 3 out, 3 lengths 2nd when mistake 2 out, one pace in 3rd last
pressed winner, pushed along after 12th, ridden 15th, weakened well before 2 out
Recent good form is thin on the ground in this. Arbeo has been well handicapped for a while but seems to have lost his enthusiasm. Cheat The Cheater was well beaten off this mark at Bangor on Tuesday while Merchant Of Milan looked very slow when fourth here last month. Red Rouble has managed just one win over fences in 21 starts but that was off a higher mark than this. DONAPOLLO's second to Steel Summit here on Boxing Day received a boost when the winner followed up over hurdles at Taunton earlier this week. He's only had five career starts so has more scope than today's rivals.
Forresters Folly 100-1 (11-7) Tracked leaders, outpaced after 3 out, weakened before next, 6th of 7, 40l behind King Rolfe (11-7) at Southwell 2m 4f hcp chs 0-115 (4) sft in Dec.
Charming Lad (IRE) 50-1 (11-4) Prominent, mistake and lost place 11th, mistake and weakened 4 out, pulled up before 2 out, in a race won by It's A Steal (11-11) at Warwick 2m 4f hcp chs 0-110 (4) sft in Dec, 8 ran.
Arbeo (IRE) 9-2 (11-11) With leader, led after 4th, headed 5th, not fluent 9th, weakened 11th, pulled up before 13th, in a race won by Southway Star (11-1) at Lingfield 3m hcp chs 0-115 (4) hvy in Nov, 4 ran.
Merchant Of Milan 10-1 (11-7) Held up in rear, closer order 9th, went 5th 14th, modest 4th approaching and went left 2 out,, 4th of 9, 13l behind Ballybough Andy (11-12) at Huntingdon 3m nov hcp chs 0-105 (4) gs in Dec.
Donapollo 5-1 (11-0) Raced in snatches close up, lost place 7th, ridden 3 out, 6th 2 out, driven and ran on strongly flat to snatch 2nd near finish, 2nd of 7, 9l behind Steel Summit (11-12) at Huntingdon 2m 4f nov hcp chs 0-105 (4) gs in Dec.
Red Rouble (IRE) 3-1 (11-5) Led until after 2nd, pushed along after 4th, went 2nd before 2 out until last, stayed on one pace, 3rd of 6, 10l behind Crescent Beach (11-5) at Towcester 2m 3f hcp 0-100 (5) gs in Dec.
Cheat The Cheater (IRE) 10-1 (10-6) Often niggled along, led 2nd until 3rd, stayed prominent, outpaced 14th, well beaten from 3 out, 4th of 7, 26l behind Bally Braes (11-0) at Bangor 3m 5yo nov hcp (4) sft.
