chased leaders, ridden 13th, 7 lenghts 3rd when blundered 4 out, weakened 3 out
tracked leader, led 8th, hit 4 out, soon headed, weakened flat, lost 2nd towards finish
held up, headway 4th, went 2nd 11th until after 13th, weakened approaching 4 out, pulled up before last
led until 8th, tracked leader until 11th and again after 13th, led after 4 out, reached for 3 out, clear last, ridden out
in touch, lost place before 5th and soon ridden, behind 8th, stayed on from 3 out, went 2nd towards finish, no chance with winner
in rear, not fluent 5th, behind 8th pulled up before 11th
reluctant to race, always well tailed off, pulled up before 10th
held up, ridden after 10th, behind 13th, tailed off 3 out, pulled up before 2 out
in rear, mistake 1st, went 5th 8th, ridden after 11th, behind 13th, tailed off
EMOTIONAL ARTICLE is the tentative selection to get the better of Cedrus Libani and Predateur. The selection has not been seen out since finishing second at Navan in the autumn of last year but that run proved that he retains a decent level of ability and he could turn out to be a useful recruit to this sphere for his locally based trainer. Cedrus Libani has to bounce back from a poor run at Higham but he had been in winning form prior to that and was a useful performer in his prime under Rules. Predateur missed a recent engagement on Royal Artillery day at Sandown but should be ready to run having been declared for what was a big day in the Hunter Chase calendar but the former Ditcheat inmate doesn't always find a great deal for pressure. Le Seychellois used to reside at the same yard and was another fair performer in his prime and may benefit from the shorter trip having been well held over three miles here last time but preference is for Emotional Article.
Emotional Article (IRE) 5-1 (11-2) Tracked leader, 3rd after 4 out, ridden in 4th 2 out, 3rd again last, kept on into 2nd without troubling winner run-in, 2nd of 5, 3l behind Reisk Superman (11-6) at Navan 2m 4f chs gf in Sep.
Predateur (FR) 16-1 (10-3) Raced keenly in mid-division, in touch after 9th, not clear run approaching 2 out briefly, soon weakened, 6th of 15, 17l behind Star of Germany (10-9) at Newton Abbot 2m 5f listed hcp chs (1) gf in Aug.
Lord Alfred (IRE) 16-1 (11-7) Not much room and unseated rider 1st, in a race won by Bob Hall (12-4) at Ludlow 3m hts chs (5) gd, 10 ran.
Cedrus Libani (IRE) (11-0) Pulled hrd; led 7-15; drpd out rap; pu 2 out, in a race won by Big Moment (11-0) at Higham 3m ptp gd in Jan, 10 ran.
Give Me Love (FR) 100-1 (11-3) Soon in touch, not fluent 6th, lost place before next, behind from 12th, 7th of 10, 50l behind Bob Hall (12-4) at Ludlow 3m hts chs (5) gd.
Hoh Nelson 25-1 (11-3) Prominent, led approaching 7th until before 12th, lost place 14th, soon struggling, 6th of 10, 36l behind Bob Hall (12-4) at Ludlow 3m hts chs (5) gd.
Kayceecee (IRE) 7-1 (11-12) Keen to post, held up in rear, mistake 2nd, detached from 5th, soon tailed off, pulled up before 3 out, in a race won by King High (11-7) at Hereford 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-90 (5) gf in Sep, 13 ran.
Le Millenaire (FR) 25-1 (11-7) Mid-division on outside, reminders after 4th, behind from 10th, 7th of 16, well behind Paradise Expected (11-6) at Uttoxeter 2m 5f hcp chs 0-90 (5) gd in May.
Le Seychellois (FR) 66-1 (11-3) Held up towards rear, headway approaching 7th, hit 13th, led 15th, headed 2 out, weakened flat, 5th of 10, 15l behind Bob Hall (12-4) at Ludlow 3m hts chs (5) gd.