held up, headway approaching 6th, mistake next, weakening when mistake 2 out
held up, not fluent 4th, headway after 7th, ridden before 2 out, stayed on to take 2nd flat, unable to trouble winner
held up in rear, niggled along after 3rd, headway approaching 6th, every chance 2 out, stayed on same pace flat
led, headed when not fluent 5th, led again when not fluent 2 out, soon headed, weakened before last
pressed leader, led before 5th, headed approaching 2 out, weakened after
tracked leaders, not fluent 5th, outpaced and lost place after 6th, weakened and pulled up before 2 out
tracked leaders, challenged 2 out, soon led, edged left and not fluent last, hung left flat, driven out
The slight drop in distance should suit Molly's A Diva, who could only muster the one pace over 3m at Kempton last week. She won't be far away but Double Double has an absence and top weight to overcome while Ashford Wood and Fishing Bridge finished behind Molly's A Diva here in November. Dunlough Bay and Ashes House were both pulled up last time so this looks a good opportunity for SPEED MASTER to pick up the winning thread again. Back over hurdles, he ran a fine race behind Ulzana's Raid at Cheltenham last month and races off the same mark here. Chesterten got back to winning ways at Uttoxeter in November but has 10lb more to carry in this better race.
Double Double (FR) 12-1 (11-5) Held up in rear, jumped big and right 1st, headway approaching 2 out, 5th and one pace last, 5th of 13, 10l behind Franciscan (11-5) at Cheltenham 2m 1f amt hcp hdl 0-140 (3) gd in Apr.
Speed Master (IRE) 33-1 (10-4) With leader, led after 4th, headed 7th, still every chance before last, no extra flat, 6th of 10, 5l behind Ulzana's Raid (11-10) at Cheltenham 3m hcp hdl (2) gs in Dec.
Molly's A Diva 6-1 (11-0) Raced wide tracking leaders, pushed along and outpaced after 3 out, pushed along and went 3rd before 2 out, no chance with leading duo, 3rd of 7, 12l behind Land Of Vic (11-9) at Kempton 3m mrs hcp hdl (2) sft in Dec.
Ashes House (IRE) 16-1 (11-0) Chased leader, mistake and lost 2nd 13th, weakening when blundered 4 out, behind and pulled up before 2 out, in a race won by Ned Stark (11-5) at Newbury 2m 6f nov hcap ch (3) sft in Nov, 8 ran.
Ashford Wood (IRE) 9-4fav (11-7) Tracked leader to 4th, in touch, driven approaching 4 out, ridden to take 3rd soon after, no chance with leaders from next, 3rd of 5, well behind Firebird Flyer (11-7) at Ffos Las 2m 6f hcp hdl 0-130 (3) hvy in Nov.
Chestertern 6-4fav (11-12) Chased leaders on outer, mistake 3rd, ridden before 3 out, went 2nd 3 out, led last, kept on, driven out, won at Uttoxeter 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-110 (4) hvy in Nov beating Rouquine Sauvage (11-2) by 1 1/2l, 6 ran.
Fishing Bridge (IRE) 9-2 (11-12) Tracked leaders, mistake 4th, fell 7th, in a race won by Magical Man (10-0) at Ffos Las 2m 5f nov hcp chs 0-105 (4) sft in Dec, 11 ran.
Dunlough Bay (IRE) 8-1 (10-12) Tracked leader, mistake 2nd, lost place approaching 5th, beehind from 4 out, pulled up last, in a race won by Kilcooley (11-5) at Haydock 2m 4f hcp hdl (2) hvy in Dec, 10 ran.
