not fluent, tracked leader, mistake 2nd, led narrowly 9th until next, stayed pressing leaders, led briefly 4 out, challenged 3 out, every chance when blundered 2 out, kept on gamely, always just held flat
held up, headway to go prominent 6th, pushed along 9th, soon lost place, in rear when blundered 12th, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out
led until 4th, prominent, led approaching 10th until 12th, weakened 13th, soon in rear, tailed off
always rear division, no chance when blundered 13th and 14th, tailed off
held up early, headway to chase leaders from 7th, driven in 3rd before 3 out, weakened soon after
held up, in rear, steady headway into 6th when blundered 4 out, struggling after, not recover
prominent, led 4th until 9th, prominent when blundered badly 11th, led next, made most after, joined 3 out, kept on gamely from next
mistakes, ridden in rear when blundered 7th, mistake 10th, tailed off and soon pulled up
always in rear, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out
chased leaders, went well held 3rd approaching 3 out, no chance with front pair
behind, headway into modest 5th after 4 out, plugged on
The Seven Barrows team of Nicky Henderson can continue a good day with POLYFAST, who can get the better of Nicto De Beauchene, while Snakebite is respected. The last-named returned from a long absence here last month over 2m 5f. He was well supported that day, but never got competitive, and he is now stepped up in trip. We know that he stays this far and acts on the ground, and if he is feeling better about life then he could go very close from a mark of just 118. Nicto De Beauchene is now just 2lbs higher than when he took a Uttoxeter novices' handicap chase in March of last year. Trip and ground suit and he should get very competitive today. Royal Wedding looks a bit high in the weights and has jumping issues to address, while Misty Dancer looks well handicapped on his best form, though he has struggled to reproduce that for some time. Rimsky has proved very hard to win with, while Hopkins has a fair bit to prove and Polyfast is selected. He would not necessarily have won had Dover's Hill stood up here at the Christmas meeting, but he deserved the win after putting in a very good round of jumping on his chase debut. He now moves into handicap territory with the scope for a fair bit more improvement than the 7lb rise he has been subjected to, and with the longer trip taken as a plus, we will side with him.
Le Burf (FR) 9-1 (11-10) Made most until ridden and headed 4 out, chased leader until before next, dropped to 3rd and well held when blundered 3 out, 4th of 12, 32l behind Fistral Beach (11-2) at Kempton 2m 4f hcp chs 0-135 (3) sft in Jan.
Over The Creek 40-1 (11-12) In rear, pushed along before 6th, not fluent and reminders 7th, tailed off 8th, pulled up before 2 out, in a race won by Magic Sky (10-7) at Fontwell 2m 6f hcp hdl 0-135 (3) sft in Jan, 11 ran.
Hopkins (IRE) 11-1 (11-12) Chased leaders, led 9th until mistake next, tailed off when pulled up after 14th, in a race won by Buck Mulligan (10-8) at Ludlow 3m 1f hcp chs 0-130 (3) sft in Dec, 9 ran.
Trigger The Light 25-1 (11-7) Always behind, struggling 5 out, tailed off, pulled up soon after, in a race won by Richard's Sundance (11-9) at Wincanton 3m 1f hcp chs 0-135 (3) hvy in Jan, 15 ran.
Polyfast (FR) 11-1 (10-12) Held up towards rear, headway 3 out, driven to challenge next, left in lead last, stayed on well, won at Kempton 2m 4f nov hcp chs 0-130 (3) gs in Dec beating Wogan (11-1) by 3 1/2l, 13 ran.
Misty Dancer 25-1 (10-4) Chased leaders, mistake 3rd, lost place soon after 7th, tailed off 12th, pulled up before 4 out, in a race won by Mount Oscar (11-0) at Newbury 2m 4f hcp chs 0-145 (2) gs in Nov, 18 ran.
Nicto De Beauchene (FR) 5-2 (11-8) Led, headed after 9th, remained with leaders, led again 14th, ridden and headed 3 out, every chance until approaching last, weakened flat, 3rd of 5, 11l behind Ballyfoy (11-11) at Lingfield 3m hcp chs 0-130 (3) hvy in Dec.
Snakebite (IRE) 4-1 (10-11) Blundered 2nd, held up, headway and close up from 4th, weakened after 4 out, tailed off and pulled up before 2 out, in a race won by Fistral Beach (11-2) at Kempton 2m 4f hcp chs 0-135 (3) sft in Jan, 12 ran.
Royal Wedding 25-1 (10-13) Chased leaders, pushed along before 7th, weakened before 4 out, disputing well held sixth and no chance when bumped and unseated rider 3 out, in a race won by Green Belt Elite (11-7) at Wincanton 2m hcp chs 0-130 (3) sft in Dec, 10 ran.
Rimsky (IRE) 7-1 (11-3) Chased leaders, hit 12th, 2nd approaching 14th until next, no extra from 3 out, 3rd and well held when mistake last, 3rd of 10, 12l behind Ballyfoy (11-12) at Lingfield 3m hcp chs 0-130 (3) hvy in Jan.
Lidjo De Rouge (FR) 11-1 (11-1) Close up on outside, mistake 9th, weakened 4 out, tailed off, 7th of 9, 49l behind Too Forward (11-5) at Wincanton 2m 5f hcp chs 0-125 (3) hvy in Jan.
