tracked leaders on outside, weakened 3 out, tailed off and pulled up before next
led, hit 6th, headed 3 out, ridden before next, weakened quickly, tailed off
pushed along and struggling before 3 out, always in rear, tailed off and pulled up soon after
held up in 6th, headway tracking leaders approaching 4 out, every chance on outside next, weakened before last
held up in last pair, smooth headway tracking leaders before 3 out, switched left to challenge leader in 2nd between last 2, led last, clear run-in, idled in closing stages, ridden out
raced wide and ran in snatches, tracked leaders, pushed along before 4 out, headway into 3rd before next, chance 2 out, soon hung left, weakened tamely before last
raced on inside, tracked leading pair, mistake 4 out, soon struggling to hold place, rallied went left and mistake 2 out, went left and hit last, 2nd towards finish, always held
tracked leader, led 3 out, headed and stumbled last, stayed on same pace run-in, lost 2nd close home
Barters Hill beat Buveur D’Air and Altior in the bumper on this card three years ago and got the better of Politilogue in the Challow Hurdle on the track later. But he suffered serious injury over fences at the end of 2016 and this will be his first run since. THE EAGLEHASLANDED also has an absence to overcome but he’s gone well fresh in the past and has also been eased a few pounds. We’ll take a chance on the Nicholls runner though Bastien would have been placed at worst at Wincanton on Boxing Day had he not fallen at the last and he’d defied a big weight at Towcester earlier so is a danger. Lough Derg Farmer has a 50 per cent strike-rate over hurdles and his chase career has been put on hold for now so he’s another to consider but drying ground and a 9lb rise could prove problematic for Chris Gordon’s Warwick winner King Uther.
Indian Stream 20-1 (11-0) Well in rear, tailed off, 9th of 13, dist behind Rock The Kasbah (10-8) at Chepstow 3m hcp (2) gs in Oct.
Barters Hill (IRE) 11-8fav (11-2) Led to 3rd, with leader when lost action and pulled up after 7th, at Cheltenham 2m 4f (2) gd in Nov.
The Eaglehaslanded (IRE) 7-1 (11-12) Tracked leaders on outside, lost place after 6th, closed 8th, mistake 2 out, beaten before next, 6th of 12, 10 3/4l behind Call To Order (10-4) at Cheltenham 3m hcp (2) gd in Dec.
Bastien (FR) 5-1 (10-12) Mid-division, headway after 3 out, chased leaders next, staying on same pace in 3rd when fell last, at Wincanton 2m 5f hcp (2) hvy in Dec.
Talkischeap (IRE) 11-2 (11-10) Mid-division on inside, headway after 4 out, went left and not fluent 2 out, 4th and no extra last, 4th of 11, 26l behind Enniscoffey Oscar (10-12) at Doncaster 2m 5f (4) gs in Dec.
Lough Derg Farmer (IRE) 5-2fav (11-8) Jumped badly left, always behind, tailed off when jumped badly left 11th, pulled up before next, at Ascot 3m hcp (3) gs in Nov.
King Uther 15-2 (10-5) Made most, jumped slowly at times, ridden 8th, hung left after 2 out, edged right flat, in command towards finish, won at Warwick 3m 2f hcp (3) hvy in Jan beating Crucial Role (11-9) by 2 3/4l, 9 ran.
Book of Gold (IRE) 11-4 (11-6) Tracked leaders in 3rd, led 6th, headed last, kept on and held towards finish, 2nd of 9, 1 1/4l behind Tommy Rapper (11-6) at Doncaster 2m 5f mdn (5) sft in Jan.
