made all, hit 5 out, ridden and clear 2 out, not fluent last, kept on well
held up in touch, ridden and beaten in 3rd when fell 4 out
held up behind, pushed along and reminders after 9th, soon detached, tailed off when pulled up before 4 out
held up in rear, detached 5th, behind when unseated rider 11th
tracked winner, ridden approaching 4 out, jumped left when weakening from 2 out
tracked leaders, weakened 5 out, left poor 3rd next
Ollie Magern gets the confident vote with St Matthew and Vandas Choice rating the main dangers. The selection was sent off a well backed second favourite when getting no further than the fourth in the race won by Grey Abbey last Saturday but prior to that he had won a grade one event for novices when defeating Terabolgan in facile fashion he need only run up to that mark to win this and with conditions in his favour he is impossible to oppose. St Matthew rates the main danger on his best form but even that leaves him with plenty to find and he is far from fluent at his obstacles so he is passed over on this occasion. Vandas Choice was a fair third behind the highly regarded Jazz d'Estruval last time and is another with place claims but he will need to improve to win. Of the remainder King Harald is sure to make a bold bid to make all the running but he lacks the scope of the selection Ollie Magern who only needs to jump round to score.
Ollie Magern 4-1 Tracking leaders when unseated rider at the 4th in race won by Grey Abbey at Cheltenham 3m 1f chs Grd 2 (A) gs in Jan, 7 ran.
St Matthew (USA) 13-2 Led, hit and headed 3rd, hit 6th, weakening in 4th when blundered and unseated rider 5 out in race won by Jazz d'Estruval at Haydock 2m 6f nov chs (B) hvy in Jan, 4 ran.
Vandas Choice (IRE) 4-1 Tracked leader, blundered 10th, ridden after next, no extra from 3 out, 3rd of 7, 21l behind Jazz d'Estruval at Ayr 2m 5f nov chs (B) hvy in Dec.
Kidithou (FR) 100-1 With leader, led 3rd, mistake and headed 13th, mistake 3 out, weakened approaching last, 3rd of 6, 14l behind Hirvine at Newcastle 3m nov chs (C) gs in Jan.
King Harald (IRE) 11-2 Led after 2nd, clear 9th, ridden along 11th, jumped left and headed 2 out, rallied flat and led again last strides, won at Newbury 3m hcp chs 0-125 (D) gs in Jan beating The Bandit by a shd, 12 ran.
Undeniable 13-8 Led, headed after 6th, led again next, headed 5 out, soon ridden, weakened from 3 out, 4th of 5, 23l behind Flight Command at Wetherby 2m 4f nov chs (C) sft in Jan.
