tracked leader, under pressure 4 out, soon weakened
held up in touch, mistake 2nd, headway to go 3rd approaching 8th, not fluent 13th, led 2 out, soon ridden clear, headed and no extra flat
chased leaders, lost place 9th, rallied 11th, soon under pressure and weakened, tailed off 3 out, pulled up before next
tracked leaders, lost place 3rd, under pressure 4 out, soon weakened
held up in rear, under pressure 10th, pulled up before 3 out
led, soon clear, headed 2 out, soon weakened
settled in rear, headway 11th, chased leaders next, effort 2 out, stayed on strongly to lead flat, ridden out
A winner of four hunter chases at Kelso over the last two seasons and also successful four times between the flags, QUOTICA DE POYANS is given the chance to prove he can hold his own in this much higher grade now professionally trained. There should be more to come from Oscar Prairie this season after wide-margin hurdles win at Hereford and his young rider claims 10lb here, while Eighteen Carat will have learned plenty from his run at Carlisle. Chapolimoss has more to do than when scoring at Worcester in August but was still handy when falling in Wolf Moon's race at Catterick earlier and is better off at the weights now. Bench Warrent and Storymaker usually find at least one too good, however.
Bench Warrent (IRE) 14-1 (9-11) Towards rear, 8th after 15th, weakened approaching 17th, tailed off before 4 out, soon pulled up, in a race won by Minella Four Star (9-9) at Uttoxeter 4m 1f lstd hcp chs (1) gs in Mar, 17 ran.
Quotica De Poyans (FR) 5-4fav (11-13) Close up, led from 3rd, made rear, clear from 2 out, ran on strongly, won at Kelso 3m 1f hts chs (6) gs in Mar beating Ardnaclancy (12-1) by 9l, 10 ran.
Storymaker 33-1 (11-1) Soon mid-division, ridden and weakened before 2 out, pulled up before last, in a race won by Power Pack Jack (10-0) at Carlisle 3m hcp chs 0-135 (3) gs in Oct, 16 ran.
Wolf Moon (IRE) 10-3 (11-3) Made most, driven and hard pressed 3 out, headed narrowly next, soon ridden, kept on under pressure flat, 3rd of 11, 3 1/2l behind Court Red Handed (11-5) at Wetherby 3m 1f hcp chs 0-130 (3) sft.
Oscar Prairie (IRE) 2-1fav (10-11) Held up, headway approaching 7th, went 2nd after 3 out, challenged 2 out, soon led and went well clear, eased towards finish, won at Hereford 2m 6f hcp hdl 0-115 (4) gd beating Skylancer (11-12) by 28l, 11 ran.
Eighteen Carat (IRE) 16-1 (11-4) Led to 4 out, weakened before 2 out, 4th of 8, well behind Time For Spring (11-4) at Carlisle 2m 4f nov chs (4) gd in Oct.
Chapolimoss (FR) 8-1 (11-1) Held up in rear, in touch, not fluent 3rd, took keen hold after, headway 5 out, led next, clear before 2 out, won at a canter, won at Worcester 2m 7f hcp chs 0-115 (4) gd in Aug beating Gem Mill (10-3) by 9l, 5 ran.
