held up, never dangerous
held up in touch, chased winner before 3 out, blundered last, no extra
tracked leader, led approaching 4 out, clear approaching last, rider almost took wrong course, corrected and clear
behind, mistake 2nd, tailed off 5th, unseated rider 10th
held up, under pressure after 6th, some headway 3 out, never on terms
led until approaching 10th, weakend 4 out, no danger after
held up in rear, not fluent 4th, headway halfway, led approaching 10th, headed before 4 out, weakened approaching 2 out
tracked leader, lost place 10th, hard ridden before 4 out, soon beaten
Nonrunner
A chance is taken with GUS in a race where Mattaking has the strongest claims and Ticket To Ride place claims. Mattaking was still travelling well enough when falling at Leicester in a race that he had been made favourite for. He races from the same mark, his previous second has been franked, he has a decent pilot on board and ticks all the right boxes. Ticket To Ride went close here on his penultimate start whilst Kinkeel landed the spoils when last faced with a realistic task but neither boast compelling strike rates and are overlooked for that reason. Ramvaswani has gone well for today's pilot over hurdles but has run modestly at this track in between those runs and disappointed on two previous starts over fences. Gus has yet to shine over fences either but it's just possible that he may have needed the two runs that he's had so far this season. His trainer has his string in better form now and boasts a healthy level stakes profit here so it may be worth taking a chance with Gus who has the scope to make up into a chaser.
Salhood 8-1 (11-9) In touch, ridden and weakened 4 out, behind when pulled up at the last in race won by Jackella (11-11) at Fakenham 2m 5f hcp chs 0-105 (4) gs in Nov, 11 ran.
Gus 16-1 (10-12) Always behind weakened from 4 out, 6th of 9, 47l behind Corlande (11-5) at Market Rasen 2m 4f hcp chs 0-115 (4) sft in Nov.
Mattaking (IRE) 11-4fav (11-1) Held up, not fluent 2nd, headway after 5th, disputing 6th when fell at the 10th in race won by Desert Secrets (11-12) at Leicester 2m 4f cnd hcp chs (5) gd in Nov, 12 ran.
Ramvaswani (IRE) 12-1 (10-11) Chased leaders, kept on from 2 out, 4th of 16, 3 1/2l behind Lawgiver (11-1) at Catterick 2m 3f amt hcp hdl 0-100 (4) gs in Dec.
Ticket To Ride (FR) 4-1 (10-1) Held up, outpaced 4 out, rallied 2 out, kept on same pace, 3rd of 7, 10l behind Whitewater Dash (11-3) at Bangor 2m 4f hcp chs 0-105 (4) sft in Dec.
Boscall Hill (IRE) 8-1 (9-13) Chased leaders, hit 10th, weakened next, tailed off, 5th of 9, 41l behind Kappelhoff (10-2) at Fontwell 2m 4f sll hcp chs 0-90 (5) gs in Dec.
Kinkeel (IRE) 100-1 (11-0) Prominent, lost touch 4th, soon weakened, 5th of 6, well behind Private Be (11-7) at Exeter 2m 1f Grad Ch (2) sft in Dec.
Log On Intersky (IRE) 50-1 (9-7) Prominent, ridden 4 out, gradually weakened from between last 2, 6th of 16, 31l behind Constantius (10-2) at Huntingdon 3m hcp chs 0-100 (4) gd in Dec.
Hapthor 16-1 (11-5) In touch until ridden and weakened 3 out, 5th of 9, 10l behind Divex (10-13) at Musselburgh 2m 4f amt hcp chs 0-100 (4) gd in Dec.
