Carlisle winner Bardolet looks an out-and-out stayer so this sharp track may not be ideal, while Dunkelly Castle was well beaten off this mark at Chepstow last month. Miller's Dawn needs to improve on what he's shown so far but Sweden can probably be forgiven his run under a penalty on heavy ground at Hexham and has to go on the short-list. AZTEC TREASURE has taken well to fences, however, and is probably still on a decent mark - with McCoy in the plate again, he gets the vote.
Dunkelly Castle (IRE) 6-1 (11-12) Mid-division on inside, lost place 13th, headway under pressure to go 3rd 4 out, stayed on same pace, no chance with leading pair, 3rd of 11, 18l behind Major Malarkey (11-11) at Chepstow 3m nov hcp chs 0-110 (4) sft in Nov.
Don't Tell Nina (IRE) 20-1 (11-2) Tracked leaders, lost place approaching 6th, swished tail when reminders after 8th, closed when mistake 10th, weakened before 12th, tailed off, 4th of 7, well behind Predictive (11-2) at Uttoxeter 2m 6f beg chs (4) sft in Nov.
Sweden (IRE) 11-2 (11-4) Tracked leaders, lost place 9th, in rear from 12th, one pace from 3 out, 5th of 8, 18l behind Club Class (10-5) at Hexham 3m 1f nov chs (3) hvy in Nov.
Mallusk (IRE) 13-8 (11-6) Led, jumped slighty left 1st, ridden and headed approaching 2 out, soon beaten, lost 2nd towards finish, 3rd of 5, 8l behind Drumshambo (10-13) at Towcester 2m nh nov hdl (4) sft in Mar.
Signatory (USA) 100-1 (10-13) In touch, ridden and struggling 8th, soon tailed off and pulled up before 2 out, in a race won by King Edmund (10-13) at Plumpton 2m 1f nov chs (3) sft in Dec '09, 8 ran.
Backfromthebrink (IRE) 28-1 (11-9) Chased leaders, fell 7th, in a race won by In The Zone (11-6) at Towcester 2m 3f hcp chs 0-105 (4) gd in Oct, 13 ran.
Aztec Treasure (NZ) 7-4fav (11-1) Tracked leading pair, hit 12th, pushed along before 3 out, went 2nd and blundered 2 out, driven and tried to close soon after, no impression last, weakened badly flat, just held on for well held 2nd, 2nd of 5, 5l behind Bobby Gee (11-9) at Lingfield 3m hcp chs 0-115 (4) hvy in Nov.
Guydus (IRE) 10-1 (11-8) Prominent, hit 6th, ridden and weakened after 8th, tailed off, 14th of 16, well behind Liz's Dream (10-9) at Perth 3m 4yo Am hcp 0-100 (4) gd in Apr.
Jack The Soldier (IRE) 28-1 (10-11) Held up towards rear, weakened before 7th, 6th of 7, 38l behind Amirico (10-9) at Fontwell 2m 4f mdn hdl (4) hvy in Nov.
Bardolet (IRE) 12-1 (11-4) Held up towards rear, headway approaching 3 out, led approaching and blundered last, kept on well, won at Carlisle 3m 1f am nov hcp hdl 0-90 (5) sft in Oct beating Flaming Breeze (11-4) by 7l, 12 ran.
Miller's Dawn 12-1 (11-12) Towards rear and pushed along, reminders after 6th, mistake 13th, jumped badly right next, went remote 3 out, kept plugging away for pressure, almost got 2nd, 3rd of 9, 14l behind Bobby Bullock (11-1) at Hereford 3m 1f hcp 0-100 (4) gs in Nov.
