with leader, faultered and quickly pulled up before 4th
held up towards rear, headway before 4 out, ridden before 2 out, chased winner from flat, no impression
held up towards rear, in touch from 4th, ridden before 4 out, soon weakened
tracked leaders, left 2nd from 4th, mistake 7th, led 4 out, ridden and headed 2 out, lost 2nd from last, one pace
prominent, hampered and taken wide approaching 4th, mistake 5 out, mistake 4 out, ridden and one pace
led, headed 4 out, led again 2 out, kept on well, ridden out
in rear, tailed off when pulled up before 6th
A decent contest with some promising types, of which THE COCKNEY MACKEM makes most appeal. A faller early on last time, he had previously been edged out in an epic battle with Edgardo Sol at Aintree and looks on a feasible mark here. The Chazer is home and hosed if his latest form with Peddlers Cross is taken literally but that would represent a dangerous approach. However, he has always looked a chaser in the making and remains a leading player. Get It On came to grief at Hereford last time when travelling well behind the talented Invictus but drops down significantly in trip now, whilst Twist Pistol should have acclimatised after two runs for the Nicholls team. Darna isn't discounted despite topweight.
Darna 3-1 (11-0) Jumped right at some fences, chased clear leader, looked beaten when left in clear lead 3 out, won at Lingfield 2m beg chs (5) gd in Nov beating All For Free (11-0) by 28l, 4 ran.
Get It On (IRE) 9-1 (10-12) In touch, left chasing leaders 10th, ridden in 4th when blundered badly and fell 3 out, in a race won by Invictus (10-7) at Hereford 2m 5f Novice Handicap Chase (0-135) (4yo+) (3) gd in Nov, 7 ran.
Prince Buster (FR) 20-1 (11-12) Went left mistake and unseated rider 1st, in a race won by Educated Evans (11-8) at Newbury 2m 2f nov hcp chs 0-125 (3) gd in Nov, 8 ran.
The Cockney Mackem (IRE) 2-1 (10-13) Not fluent 1st, took keen hold tracking leading pair, blundered and unseated rider 5th, in a race won by Lidar (10-12) at Newbury 2m 1f Novice Handicap Chase (0-140) (4yo+) (3) gd in Nov, 4 ran.
The Chazer (IRE) 14-1 (11-1) Held up 3rd and last, went 2nd 4 out, effort 2 out, 2 lengths down and held last, no chance with winner flat, 2nd of 3, 4 1/2l behind Peddlers Cross (11-1) at Bangor 2m 1f beg chs (4) gs in Nov.
Falcon Island 12-1 (11-9) Took keen hold, chased leader until 3rd, chased leaders until dropped to 5th place after 5th (water), last and struggling 10th, tailed off, 5th of 8, well behind Educated Evans (11-8) at Newbury 2m 2f nov hcp chs 0-125 (3) gd in Nov.
Twist Pistol (FR) 8-1 (11-1) Pulled hard, in touch, headway to chase leaders after 2nd, led next, ridden and headed before 2 out, weakened quickly soon after, 9th of 12, 35l behind Pateese (11-5) at Sandown 2m hcp hdl 0-130 (3) sft in Nov.
