Verdict

The Cool Guy has an obvious chance if able to reproduce the pick of his form but there has to be a doubt concerning the form of runners from the yard of Nigel Twiston-Davies so he looks best watched and preference is for LEADING CONTENDER, who gets the vote over Irish point-to-point winner Andytown. Nicky Henderson's gelding was not surprisingly outclassed behind Breedsbreeze on his chasing debut at Cheltenham in November and he returns to fences for the first time since then following a decent success over hurdles at Wetherby. Ben de Haan's Nom de Guerre has shown ability over fences but unseated his rider last time and may be best watched today. Alan King's Turkish Surprise is less exposed than most of these after just five starts and looks to be going the right way following a decent third behind Will Be Done at Haydock. Richard Johnson takes the ride on Pancake and he has to be strongly considered but is proving to be expensive to follow after seven starts over fences and preference is for stable companion Leading Contender. The eight-year-old has shown improved form over hurdles of late, is bred and built for chasing and he looks worth chancing on his debut over the larger obstacles.

Formwatch

Andytown (IRE) 8-11fav (11-12) Tracked leaders, challenged 3 out, soon ridden and beaten, 3rd of 8, 7l behind Terenzium (10-3) at Wetherby 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-135 (3) sft in Dec.

Leading Contender (IRE) 11-4fav (10-0) Mid-division, not fluent 6th, headway after 3 out, led approaching last, kept on well flat, won at Cheltenham 3m hcp hdl (2) gd in Dec '07 beating Wild Cane Ridge (10-0) by 4l, 12 ran.

Nom de Guerre (IRE) 2-1fav (10-11) Prominent, led 3 out, rider dropped whip on landing 2 out, narrow advantage when blundered and unseated rider at the last in race won by Dream Garden (11-3) at Leicester 2m 7f nov chs (3) gs in Dec, 8 ran.

Pancake (FR) 4-6fav (11-0) Led, mistake 5th, rider nearly unseated and lost iron briefly, mistake last, headed 2f out, soon beaten, 2nd of 7, 14l behind Woodlands Genpower (10-11) at Towcester 3m beg chs (4) sft in Jan.

The Cool Guy (IRE) 9-2 (11-0) In touch, led 13th, headed 15th, led again 17th, blundered, soon headed and not recover, 3rd of 8, 26l behind Carnival Town (11-0) at Chepstow 3m 2f beg chs (4) hvy in Jan.

Turkish Surprise (FR) 5-1 (11-0) Held up in touch, outpaced 3 out, stayed on from last, 3rd of 6, 4l behind Will Be Done (11-4) at Haydock 2m 4f nov chs Grd 2 (1) sft in Jan.