in touch, reminders 7th, mistake and dropped to rear after 9th, pulled up before next
held up in rear, steady headway to chase leading pair after 4 out, upside and travelling well 3 out, ridden and found nil next
made all, strongly pressed from 3 out, kept on gamely
chased winner, hit 10th, lost 2nd 12th and soon ridden, beaten soon after 4 out
hit 1st, held up, ridden and blundered 11th, weakened 4 out
hit 1st, held up in rear, ridden and lost touch 4 out
blundered and unseated rider 1st
chased leaders, ridden approaching 3 out, soon weakened
blundered badly and nearly unseated rider 1st, soon tracking leaders, chased winner 12th, challenged and every chance 3 out, jumped right 2 out, kept on, no real impression flat
The Hairy Lemon is well-handicapped now but recent performances have been like those of a sulky teenager and a safer bet is POP AHEAD who has been progressing well and is taken to see off Nemetan and Le Burf. Jonjo O'Neill's gelding comes here on the back of two wins and he has a good chance, although a whopping 16lb rise in the weights makes life tough. He acts at the track (winner here last time), and has no problem on good or softer ground. He has a tendency to jump right which isn't a problem around here and he looks the obvious starting point. Nemetan is admirable over both sets of obstacles but he now looks high enough in the weights, so of more interest could be Kew Jumper assuming that the ground stays good. Ice Bucket represents a trainer in good form but he was in poor form when seen last year. However a chink of light appears as he is best going this way round and he is now back to a workable mark. Le Burf was an impressive winner last time out at Wincanton and he seemed to appreciate that easy track. He has an 8lb rise in the weights to contend with today and he is still fairly unexposed as a chaser. Soulard is consistent but more was expected of John Spearing's gelding and this is likely to be the most testing ground he has faced; he appears to need it like a road to be at his best. A back to form Launde would be of interest, but he was poor last time at Cheltenham and a more obvious bet is the in-form Pop Ahead.
The Hairy Lemon 20-1 (10-9) Mid-division, mistake 7th, beaten from 11th, 12th of 17, well behind Miss Mitch (10-5) at Ascot 2m 5f hcp chs (2) gs in Jan.
Pop Ahead (IRE) 11-4fav (11-5) Awkward 1st, tracked leaders, went 2nd 10th, led 3 out, soon in command, easily, won at Kempton 2m 4f hcp chs 0-120 (3) sft in Jan beating Thedreamstillalive (11-0) by 6l, 7 ran.
Le Burf (FR) 7-1 (11-6) Made all, left clear 4 out, unchallenged, won at Wincanton 2m 5f hcp chs 0-125 (3) gs in Jan beating Triggernometry (10-10) by 9l, 10 ran.
Soulard (USA) 10-1 (11-3) Chased leaders, went 2nd 6th, made most from 10th to 13th, chased winner after, readily held from 2 out, 2nd of 9, 5l behind Alphabetical (11-9) at Ascot 2m 3f hcp chs 0-130 (3) gd in Nov.
Randwick Roar (IRE) 20-1 (10-10) Jumped right first, mid-division, ridden approaching 5 out, soon weakened, 7th of 12, 33l behind Herecomesthetruth (11-5) at Chepstow 2m 3f hcp chs 0-145 (2) sft in Dec.
Launde (IRE) 33-1 (11-10) Held up towards rear, blundered 9th, soon lost touch and pulled up 4 out in race won by Saunders Road (10-12) at Cheltenham 2m 5f cnd hcp chs 0-125 (3) gs in Dec, 16 ran.
Nemetan (FR) 13-2 (11-12) Held up, ridden after 10th, went 3rd after 4 out, one pace from next, 3rd of 7, 13l behind Pop Ahead (11-5) at Kempton 2m 4f hcp chs 0-120 (3) sft in Jan.
Kew Jumper (IRE) 10-1 (11-7) Mid-division, headway 11th, left 2nd 4 out, ridden and weakened 3 out, tailed off when pulled up 2 out in race won by Le Burf (11-6) at Wincanton 2m 5f hcp chs 0-125 (3) gs in Jan, 10 ran.
Ice Bucket (IRE) 9-1 (11-3) Tracked leaders, ridden and weakened from 3 out, 7th of 16, well behind Stagecoach Opal (10-12) at Doncaster 3m hcp chs 0-120 (3) gd in Dec.
