held up in close 4th, blundered and outpaced 4 out, no chance after, tailed off
mostly jumped well, took keen hold, made all at steady pace, not fluent 8th and next, joined 5 out, quickened to draw clear and in command from 3 out, kept on strongly
chased winner, challenged 5 out, upsides when hit next, dropped to 3rd 2 out, rallied to 2nd again flat, no chance with winner
tracked leading pair, went 2nd 2 out and driven, no chance with winner, dropped to 3rd flat
Only four runners face the starter here but a couple of them are potentially high-class novice chasers. CUE CARD started a hot favourite for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at The Festival in March but could find nothing extra from the last after pulling for his head and only finished fourth. Runner-up to Spirit Son in a Grade 2 at Aintree in his only subsequent start, Colin Tizzard has wasted no time in putting the five-year-old over fences this autumn and he can make a winning reappearance. Silviniaco Conti should also be worth following over fences this winter but hasn't raced since February and finished behind the selection over hurdles at Cheltenham last December, though is 4lb better off today. Micheal Flips is another smart hurdler making his fencing bow and he's preferred to the penalised Le Corvee of the others.
Le Corvee (IRE) 14-1 (10-7) Midfield, ridden 3out, soon beaten, 7th of 10, 30l behind Olympian (11-0) at Stratford 2m hcp hdl 0-125 (3) gf in Sep.
Cue Card 5-2fav (11-4) Held up towards rear, took keen hold, mistake 7th, headway approaching 3 out, chased winner when went left 2 out, soon ridden, no impression and stayed on same pace flat, 2nd of 9, 13l behind Spirit Son (11-4) at Aintree 2m 4f nov hdl G2 (1) gd in Apr.
Micheal Flips (IRE) 8-1 (11-10) Tracked leaders, led approaching 3 out, headed before next, soon weakened, 6th of 17, 19l behind Liberate (10-9) at Haydock 3m hcp hdl (2) gd in May.
Silviniaco Conti (FR) 7-4fav (11-10) Tracked leaders in 4th on outside, ridden and outpaced before 2 out, soon beaten, 4th of 5, 25l behind Mille Chief (11-2) at Wincanton 2m hdl G2 (1) gs in Feb.
