hit 11th, always in rear, pulled up before 12th
chased leaders, ridden and lost place after 11th, never on terms after
chased leaders, went 2nd after 10th, ridden to lead 3 out, stayed on well
mid-division, weakening when jumped left 12th, pulled up before next
mid-division, ridden after 13th, went 3rd after 4 out, never a danger to leading pair
held up towards rear, blundered 5th, hit 7th, went 4th 14th, soon ridden and weakened, pulled up before 3 out
always towards rear, tailed off and pulled up before 12th
chased clear leader until mistake 10th, ridden after 13th, soon weakened, pulled up before 2 out
held up towards rear, mistake 5th, pulled up after next
always behind, tailed off and pulled up before 3 out
always behind, well tailed off when fell 3 out
led, soon clear, hit 4 out, ridden and headed next, no extra
It will be interesting to see how the market shapes up for the reappearing Cash King on his chasing debut after a near two year absence and Venetia Williams is sure to have him fit enough but a safer option looks to be No Regrets, who is preferred to Burren Legend. The last mentioned has shown a decent level of form in both recent starts over fences and Richard Rowe's gelding should be thereabouts again. Dream Falcon ran promisingly at Bangor last time but has had plenty of chances and is becoming expensive to follow, while Shardakhan is hard to recommend on recent evidence. Tom George's No Complaint should improve for his recent reappearance run at Leicester but needs to and preference is for No Regrets. Nicky Henderson's gelding soon weakened after making a bad mistake at Newbury last time and he looks worth another chance judged by earlier form at Wetherby.
For All Mankind 7-1 (11-9) Held up, hampered 1st, not jump well throughout, under pressure and jumped left 8th, soon detached, remote 4th, 4th of 8, well behind Sir Bathwick (10-13) at Newbury 2m 6f nov hcp chs 0-130 (3) gs in Dec.
Dream Falcon 13-2 (10-12) Chased leaders, left 2nd 12th, ridden approaching 2 out, not quicken after last, 2nd of 7, 2l behind Killard Point (11-6) at Bangor 3m nov hcp chs (3) sft in Dec.
Shardakhan (IRE) 7-1 (11-0) Held up mid-division, mistake 5th, headway 10th, ridden 13th, mistake 3 out, weakened before next, 5th of 10, 29l behind Air Force One (11-0) at Folkestone 3m 1f beg chs (4) gs.
No Regrets (FR) 7-2 (11-5) Held up in touch, reminders 11th, mistake 13th, soon weakened, remote 3rd, 3rd of 8, 44l behind Sir Bathwick (10-13) at Newbury 2m 6f nov hcp chs 0-130 (3) gs in Dec.
Burren Legend (IRE) 6-1 (10-10) Held up towards rear, headway 8th (water), led 11th, headed 3 out, stayed on but no impression, 2nd of 8, 4l behind Bagan (11-9) at Newbury 3m nov hcp chs (3) gs in Dec.
Lord Collingwood (IRE) 8-1 (10-11) Held up towards rear, headway 8th, outpaced after 4 out, headway approaching 2nd last, stayed on flat, 3rd of 9, 4l behind Kitty Wong (10-2) at Market Rasen 2m 2f nov chs (4) sft in Dec.
Iris De Balme (FR) 5-4fav (11-0) Held up, hampered 12th, headway 4 out, weakened approaching 2 out, 6th of 8, 29l behind Back For The Craic (10-9) at Leicester 2m 7f mdn chs (4) gs.
No Complaint (IRE) 9-2 (10-11) Tracked leaders, not fluent 4th, under pressure approaching 3 out, soon one pace, 4th of 9, 16l behind Bengo (11-2) at Leicester 2m 7f nov chs (4) gd in Dec.
Cash King (IRE) 5-4fav (10-12) Tracked leaders, challenged 3 out, led approaching next, kept on well, won at Catterick 3m 1f nov hdl (4) gd in Jan '06 beating Double Turn (10-12) by 10l, 13 ran.
Victor Daly (IRE) 9-2jt-fav (11-12) Mid-division, effort 5 out, ridden next, weakened 3 out, 7th of 11, 23l behind Hold The Bid (11-9) at Wetherby 3m 1f nov hcp chs 0-110 (4) gs in Dec.
Heynewboy 66-1 (11-0) Led until 3rd, struggling 9th, soon lost touch, tailed off, last of 7, well behind Lead On (11-0) at Exeter 2m 3f nov chs (2) sft in Dec.
Georges Boy (IRE) 20-1 (10-2) Led 2nd, set good pace, headed 8th, weakened, 6th of 11, 32l behind The Very Man (11-6) at Lingfield 2m 7f hcp hdl 0-120 (3) sft.
