in touch, mistake 12th, headway to chase leaders 4 out, not fluent next, weakening when fell next
led, mistake 3rd, pushed along before 3 out, ridden and headed 2 out, no impression when lost 2nd last, weakened flat
tracked leader, challenged going well 3 out, led 2 out, kept on strongly
tended to jump left, took keen hold and held up in last pair, headway 4 out, chased leaders 3 out, went 3rd next, stayed on to 2nd at the last, no impression on winner
chased leaders on inside, hit 6th, weakened approaching 3 out
took keen hold chasing leaders, hit 6th, weakened 12th, tailed off and pulled up before 2 out
took keen hold and held up in last pair, not fluent 13th, headway approaching and not fluent 3 out, modest 5th before next, plugged on to modest 4th flat
held up towards rear, headway to chase leaders 8th, not fluent 10th, not fluent 2 out, went 3rd at the last
Western King got back to winning ways at Ludlow last month but has tended to struggle in this higher grade in the past. Forresters Folly, Bertie Boru and Sin Bin are all interesting tackling fences for the first time but Coole River fell heavily when fancied at Wincanton last time and both Hatters River and The Mumper have been off the track for a while. GUESS AGAIN beat a couple of more experienced and in-form rivals on only his second start over fences at Warwick. That was a conditionals' race so David Pipe's charge can race off the same mark in this and is hard to oppose.
Forresters Folly 6-1 (11-5) Tracked leaders, hit 7th, pushed along and outpaced before 2 out, kept on same pace in 4th, mistake last, 4th of 7, 30l behind Southfield Theatre (11-7) at Wincanton 2m 6f nh nov hdl (4) gd in Oct.
Western King (IRE) 7-2 (11-8) Tracked leaders, lost place 8th, pushed along after 12th, not fluent 14th, closed from 15th, challenging when pecked 4 out, led 3 out, idled from next, driven out, won at Ludlow 3m hcp chs 0-120 (4) gd in Oct beating Raduis Bleu (10-12) by 3l, 8 ran.
Coole River (IRE) 6-1 (11-4) Held up towardd rear when baulked and unseated rider 4th, in a race won by Deciding Moment (10-7) at Wincanton 2m 5f nov hcp chs 0-125 (3) gd in Oct, 16 ran.
Bertie Boru (IRE) 12-1 (11-5) Towards rear, headway 4 out, effort when mistake next, soon ridden, stayed on to take 2nd between last 2, kept on, never reached winner, 2nd of 12, 3 1/2l behind Flicka Williams (11-3) at Uttoxeter 3m hcp hdl 0-120 (4) gd in Oct.
Guess Again (IRE) 7-2fav (11-6) Held up, not fluent 2nd, headway 5th, bumped 9th, went 2nd 11th, led 3 out, driven flat, hung left towards finish, all out, won at Warwick 3m 2f (4) gs beating Whistling Senator (11-5) by 3/4l, 9 ran.
Sin Bin (IRE) 9-2 (11-9) Mid-division, headway to track leader after 7th, led narrowly last, headed flat, stayed on same pace, 2nd of 8, 3 1/2l behind Josies Orders (10-13) at Aintree 3m nov hcp hdl 0-120 (4) gs in Oct.
Hatters River (IRE) 5-1 (11-8) Mid-division, headway 7th, chased leaders 3 out, led approaching last, soon strongly challenged, hard ridden, all out, just held on, won at Wincanton 2m 6f hcp hdl 0-110 (4) gd in Apr beating Master Milan (11-3) by shd, 15 ran.
The Mumper (IRE) 7-1 (11-10) Chased leaders, weakened after 3 out, 6th of 12, 27l behind Taigan (11-5) at Southwell 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-115 (4) gs in May.
