in touch, dropped rear 8th, soon weakened, tailled off and pulled up before 13th
held up towards rear, headway 8th and in touch, weakened approaching 4 out, behind when pulled up before next
held up in rear, outpaced 14th, 5th and no impression when blundered 3 out
towards rear, pushed along 15th, headway under pressure approaching 3 out, outpaced next
tracked leaders, headway to lead 2 out, headed flat, rallied towards finish
led to 2nd, led again 12th, not fluent 3 out, headed next, rallied to lead again after last, all out
in touch, mistake 2nd, lost place 8th, blundered and unseated rider 10th
led 2nd, headed 12th, remained prominent, pushed along 15th, weakened 2 out
Nonrunner
Undeniable is the pick here over Miss Mattie Ross, Pass Me By and Rosie Redman. Fitness has to be the key here, and as Undeniable has already proven himself at Huntingdon a fortnight ago, he gets the vote to follow up over this longer trip off a light weight. Sue Smith's runners are in good form at present, and the seven-year-old will be hard to keep out of the finish. Miss Mattie Ross went down narrowly at Carlisle last time but has been raised three-pounds for that effort. Nevertheless she is a course and distance winner so has to be respected. Pass Me By was fancied at Hexham but ran out of steam over the four mile trip, and is lightly enough weighted this time to get involved also, while a watching brief is advised on Rosie Redman, Flight Command and Forest Gunner. Undeniable has the best claims on recent evidence at least and should be supported.
Forest Gunner 11-2fav (10-13) Led until blundered and unseated rider at the 3rd in race won by Garvivonnian (10-4) at Aintree 3m 3f lst hcp chs (A) gs in Nov, 19 ran.
Flight Command 33-1 (11-7) Held up, hit 6th, outpaced from 5 out, 4th of 6, 17l behind Locksmith (11-6) at Ayr 2m 4f nov chs Grd 2 (A) gd in Apr.
Alexanderthegreat (IRE) 10-1 (10-2) Towards rear, headway 5 out, weakened 3 out, 8th of 12, 34l behind Direct Access (10-0) at Newcastle 3m lst hcp chs (A) sft in Nov.
Rosie Redman (IRE) 7-2fav (11-7) Mid-division, headway after 15, chased leader, left well clear 2 out, unchallenged, won at Kelso 3m 4f hcp chs 0-125 (D) sft in Apr beating Gimme Shelter (9-7) by 16l, 8 ran.
Undeniable 9-4fav (11-12) Tracked leader, ridden and every chance from 2 out, driven and ran on to lead flat, won at Huntingdon 2m 4f hcp chs 0-115 (D) gd in Nov beating Free Gift (11-2) by 1/2l, 5 ran.
Ossmoses (IRE) 9-2fav (10-8) Mid-division, outpaced 11th, never dangerous, 6th of 17, well behind Ross Comm (10-13) at Carlisle 3m 2f hcp chs 0-135 (C) hvy in Oct.
Pass Me By 10-1 (10-6) Tracked leader, led 3 out, headed approaching last, no extra flat, 5th of 13, 8l behind Supreme Breeze (10-8) at Hexham 4m hcp chs 0-130 (C) gs in Nov.
Miss Mattie Ross 10-1 (9-9) Led, ridden and headed last, kept on under pressure flat, 2nd of 9, 1 1/2l behind Silver Knight (10-6) at Carlisle 3m hcp chs 0-135 (C) sft in Nov.
Wise Man (IRE) 8-1 (11-9) Towards rear, not fluent and outpaced 4 out, kept on same pace from 2 out, 4th of 7, 5l behind Time To Reflect (10-3) at Kelso 3m 1f hcp chs 0-125 (D) sft in Apr.
