chased leader, ridden and weakened approaching 3 out, pulled up before 2 out
held up, ridden 5th, weakened 2 out, held on
pulled early in mid-division, ridden and chased, leader after 3 out, weakened after 2 out
always towards rear, no impression
prominent, ridden 5th, weakening when mistake, unseated rider when 3 out
in touch, reminder 5th, weakened next pulled up before 2 out
held up last, ridden 3 out, stayed on one pace
mid-division, ridden and weakened 3 out, pulled up before 2 out
led and jumped right throughout, shaken up after 2 out, hard ridden from last, just held on
in touch, headway and chased leader 3 out, stayed on from 2 out, switched left and ran on flat, just failed
It can pay to go with the obvious here and PEPITE DE SOLEIL is taken to outgun Santia and Hey Big Spender. The selection already has a course and distance win to her name when she won a soft ground novices' hurdle last month. A five length second to Walkon in the Grade 1 Finale Junior Hurdle at Chepstow over Christmas is the best piece of form on offer here by some distance, and a BHA rating of 136 makes her stand out off the page. Again she gets cut in the ground today and we will take her to win. Santia won a Bangor bumper last May and made a pleasing hurdles debut on Boxing Day in similar conditions to today's. She should come on plenty for that experience and can go well, though she'd be hard pressed to improve enough to beat the selection. Hey Big Spender improved for her first hurdles run to put up a decent display at Taunton last time out and conditions and trip suit him, so he looks capable of taking home some more prize money. Dehanom should benefit from his Newbury debut, while both Wardington Lad and World Shift know what it's like to win, but probably won't experience that again today, as we think Pepite De Soleil will.
Bering de Lauriere (FR) 100-1 (11-6) Always behind, 11th of 13, well behind King Ar Aghaidh (11-6) at Fakenham 2m 4f mdn hdl (4) gs.
Dehanom 28-1 (11-0) Chased leaders, not fluent 1st or 4th, lost place when hampered 5th, weakened approaching 3 out, 17th of 21, well behind Cracboumwiz (11-0) at Newbury 2m mdn hdl (4) sft in Dec.
Hey Big Spender (IRE) 40-1 (10-12) Mid-division, headway after 6th, every chance approaching 2 out, soon ridden, kept on one pace after, 3rd of 13, 7l behind King's Forest (10-9) at Taunton 2m 1f nov hdl (3) gs in Dec.
New Rackheath (IRE) 200-1 (10-4) Tracked leaders, effort 6th, soon weakened, 8th of 14, well behind Shamari (11-0) at Taunton 2m 1f mdn hdl (4) gs in Nov.
Peacefull Waters (IRE) 100-1 (11-0) Led, jumped slowly 1st, soon headed, led again 3rd, headed three out, weakened 2 out, 10th of 15, 27l behind Secret Tune (11-0) at Chepstow 2m mdn hdl (5) gs in Nov.
Southfield Hall (IRE) 100-1 (10-12) Prominent, ridden 6th, weakened approaching 3 out, 6th of 10, well behind Tataniano (10-12) at Exeter 2m 3f nh nov hdl (4) gd.
Tago Mago (IRE) 40-1 (10-7) Mid-division, reminders after 2nd, not fluent 4th, soon ridden, weakened after 5th, tailed off, 11th of 16, well behind Belcantista (10-12) at Exeter 2m 1f nov hdl (4) sft in Nov.
Wardington Lad 50-1 (11-0) Always towards rear, 14th of 16, well behind Copper Bleu (11-0) at Newbury 2m nh mdn hdl (3) gs in Nov.
World Shift (GER) 10-1 (11-0) In touch, ridden and lost place before 5th, struggling after, 10th of 14, 40l behind Clay Hollister (11-0) at Sandown 2m nh nov hdl (3) gs in Dec.
Pepite De Soleil (FR) 5-2fav (10-7) Tracked leader from 2nd, led after 4th, headed 3 out and held when hanging left approaching last, 2nd of 10, 5l behind Walkon (11-0) at Chepstow 2m nov hdl Grd 1 (1) sft in Dec.
Santia 4-1 (10-10) Pulled hard in mid-division early, headway 5th, ridden and chased winner after 2out, kept on same pace, 2nd of 18, 8l behind Calusa Crystal (10-10) at Wincanton 2m mrs nov hdl (4) gs in Dec.
