mid-division, headway on inside 8th, chased winner 4 oiut, led 2 out, headed last, led again flat, hard ridden and edged left, headed towards finish
tracked leaders, not fluent 1st, lost place 4th, weakened before 4 out, mistake last
held up in rear, not fluent 6th, headway approaching 4 out, mistake next, weakened 2 out, blundered badly last, tailed off
pressed leader, led after 8th, clear 4 out until slowed into 3 out, headed 2 out, led last, headed flat, led again and edged left towards finish
held up in rear, hit 7th, behind next, mistake 3 out, tailed off
tracked leaders, led 5th, headed next, outpaced approaching 4 out, soon well beaten
held up, headway when not fluent 4th, challenged 6th, outpaced 8th, hit 4 out, stayed on into 3rd last, no impression on front pair
led until 5th, led again next, headed after 8th, weakened 2 out
Un Anjou went up 7lb for scoring at Warwick and found fast ground against him here a few days later. MASSENA was probably unfortunate at Uttoxeter as his rider lost his irons after a mistake when travelling strongly. He'll enjoy the conditions and can gain compensation. Islandmagee makes his debut over fences but has won off higher marks over hurdles but Moorlands Jack looks more of a threat. He had just taken the lead and was going strongly when falling two out at Southwell last time and would be an obvious danger in that sort of form.
Un Anjou (FR) 5-4fav (11-12) Held up in 4th, closed 5th, chased winner 7th, hit 4 out, lost 5 length 2nd last, stayed on flat, not much room towards finish, no impression close home, 3rd of 5, 1 1/2l behind The Last Night (11-8) at Leicester 2m nov hcp chs 0-110 (4) gf in Dec.
Brassbound (USA) 11-2 (11-12) Tracked leader, not fluent and reminder 1st, lost place 3rd, well beaten 4 out, tailed off, last of 7, well behind Arkaim (11-5) at Huntingdon 2m nov hcp chs 0-110 (4) sft in Nov.
Rasheed 11-1 (11-6) Held up in rear, headway 3 out, soon chasing leaders, went 2nd closing stages, kept on same pace, 2nd of 8, 2 1/4l behind King Zeal (11-2) at Market Rasen 2m 1f hcp hdl 0-110 (4) gs in Dec.
Massena (IRE) 11-10fav (11-4) Prominent, jumped slowly 5th, led before 3 out, 4 lengths clear when mistake and rider lost irons next, joined last, headed flat, held close home, 2nd of 7, 3/4l behind George Nympton (11-11) at Uttoxeter 2m hcp chs 0-115 (4) hvy in Dec.
Islandmagee (IRE) 2-1fav (10-4) Led and soon clear, headed 4 out, chased leader until soon after 3 out, kept on same pace in 3rd, 3rd of 7, 8l behind Radmores Revenge (11-12) at Chepstow 2m hcp hdl 0-120 (4) hvy in Nov.
Moorlands Jack 15-8fav (10-13) Tracked leaders, not fluent 6th, went 2nd 9th, mistake 4 out, led before next, ridden and just headed when fell 2 out, in a race won by Billy Cuckoo (11-11) at Southwell 2m 4f hcp chs 0-120 (4) gd in Dec, 7 ran.
Bin End 100-1 (11-2) Chased leader until 1st, chased clear leading pair, no chance from 5th, tailed off, 3rd of 5, 44l behind Dodging Bullets (11-8) at Kempton 2m nov chs Grade 2 (1) sft in Dec.
Egypt Mill Spirit (IRE) 7-1 (11-2) Held up in rear, headway 4 out, soon driven and no impression, 5th of 11, 16l behind Katchmore (11-8) at Taunton 2m 1f hcp hdl 0-120 (4) gf in Mar '12.
Missionaire (USA) 6-1 (11-3) Held up in rear, headway to dispute 3rd 7th, definite 3rd before next, went 2nd 5 out, ridden and keeping on in 3 lengths 2nd when fell 2 out, in a race won by Riddleofthesands (11-8) at Chepstow 2m hcp 0-100 (5) hvy in Nov, 6 ran.
