prominent, led 2nd, mistake, hind legs sprawled and headed 11th (water), led again next, headed after 3 out, blundered and no extra next
held up, pecked 1st, headway after 11th, mistake 14th, challenged 3 out, soon led, driven flat, held on
chased leaders, lost place after 11th, in touch 4 out, weakened 2 out
held up, headway 14th, every chance 2 out, switched right before last, pecked at fence, held flat, stayed on same pace
held up, headway when not much room 14th, challenged going well when hit 2 out, ridden flat, stayed on, just held
ridden along in rear, not fluent 3rd, not fluent and rider lost iron briefly 11th (water), pecked next, well behind after 15th
tracked leaders, went 2nd 13th, bumped next, every chance 2 out, no extra flat
led until jumped slowly 2nd (water), prominent, mistake 6th, led 11th, headed next, mistake and lost place 14th, soon behind, pulled up before 2 out
Neither Roll The Dice nor MISSION COMPLETE jumped with any fluency last time but both kept on for a place. The latter got closest to the winner and can go one better today with Jack Savage's 10lb claim a massive plus. Waldorf Salad arrives off the back of a fair third at Exeter and should be thereabouts again but Bally Sands is proving difficult to place and Still Believing is hard to catch right. Shy John is preferred to the returning Shuil Royale of the others.
Waldorf Salad 9-1 (11-7) Mid-division, closed back straight, went 3rd before 4 out, every chance 2 out, stayed on same pace flat, 3rd of 11, 3 1/2l behind Buckhorn Tom (10-5) at Exeter 3m nov hcp chs 0-120 (4) sft in Jan.
Shuil Royale (IRE) 6-1 (10-4) Chased leading pair, went 2nd 6th, challenged 12th until lost 2nd under pressure before 3 out, chased leading pair until 2 out, weakened badly before last, 5th of 8, 16l behind Triangular (10-11) at Kempton 3m hcp chs 0-140 (3) hvy in Feb '14.
Roll The Dice (IRE) 7-2fav (9-12) In touch, outpaced from 6 out, left 3rd 3 out, no impression of front pair, 3rd of 7, 22l behind Firebird Flyer (11-2) at Ludlow 3m Am hcp chs 0-135 (3) sft in Jan.
Still Believing (IRE) 13-2 (11-5) Towards rear, blundered and unseated rider 4th, in a race won by Lights Of Broadway (10-3) at Chepstow 2m 4f mrs hcp hdl 0-120 (4) gs, 12 ran.
Shy John 4-1 (11-4) Held up, headway 10th, not fluent 3 out, no extra from next, not fluent last, lost 3rd flat, 4th of 8, 17l behind Quite By Chance (11-9) at Wincanton 2m 4f am hcp ch 0-115 (4) gd in Dec.
Mission Complete (IRE) 16-1 (10-12) Ridden away from start, pressed leader, often niggled along, led when not fluent 3rd, headed before 3 out, no impression on winner from next, one pace, 2nd of 6, 7l behind Copper Birch (11-7) at Taunton 2m 7f hcp chs 0-115 (4) sft in Jan.
Withoutdefavourite (IRE) 9-2 (10-5) In lead when fell 7th, in a race won by Benevolent (11-0) at Market Rasen 2m 6f nov hcp chs 0-125 (3) gs in Dec, 8 ran.
Bally Sands (IRE) 5-4fav (11-11) Chased leaders, lost place 9th, driven and struggling in dispute of 4th 11th, left poor 4th next, tailed off, 4th of 6, well behind According To Them (9-13) at Plumpton 3m 2f hcp chs 0-100 (5) hvy in Jan.
