jumped well, made most, 5 lengths clear when blundered and sprawled last, soon headed, not recover
tracked leader to 8th, remained close up, outpaced 5 out, soon weakened, pulled up before next
raced keenly in touch, effort approaching 4 out, soon ridden, one pace and no impression from 2 out,
with leader when blundered and dropped rear 2nd, outpaced when not fluent 11th, tailed off when pulled up before 4 out
in touch, tracked leader 8th, outpaced 4 out, ridden after next, 5 lengths down and no impression when left in lead after last, kept on
Cloudy Lane gets the confident vote here with Numero Un de Solzen and Habitual Dancer rating the main dangers. The selection won with a little in hand last time out when beating Numero Un de Solzen last time out and although that rival is better off at the weights here under conditions that suit he is taking to win again. Numero Un de Solzen is sure to have his supporters on these revised terms and is sure to have come on for the run so he should be closely watched in the market. Habitual Dancer was a fair third behind Morgan Bee last time and has place claims but he would be better off with the selection if this were a handicap and he is taken on with this in mind. Of the remainder See You There has conditions to suit but was let down by his jumping last time and for the winner we return to Cloudy Lane.
Cloudy Lane 6-4fav (11-6) Tracked leaders, went 2nd 9th, led 11th, ridden 2 out, stayed on well, won at Newcastle 3m beg chs (4) sft in Dec beating Numero Un de Solzen (11-3) by 4l, 7 ran.
See You There (IRE) 11-4 (11-1) Held up, effort approaching 3 out, soon weakened, beaten when pulled up at the last in race won by Devil's Run (11-3) at Ayr 3m 1f hcp chs 0-125 (3) hvy in Dec, 6 ran.
Euro American (GER) 20-1 (11-12) Mid-division, smooth headway 3 out, effort next, weakened approaching last, 7th of 10, 22l behind Into The Shadows (11-0) at Wetherby 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-135 (3) sft in Dec.
Habitual Dancer 10-1 (11-4) With leader, led 3rd, headed 10th, outpaced 4 out, kept on, no impression, 3rd of 7, 7l behind Morgan Be (11-4) at Ayr 2m 5f beg chs (4) hvy in Dec.
Numero Un de Solzen (FR) 9-2 (11-3) Held up, headway to challenge 5 out, effort next, 5 lengths down and held when blundered and rider lost iron last, no extra, 2nd of 7, 4l behind Cloudy Lane (11-6) at Newcastle 3m beg chs (4) sft in Dec.
