Aheadofhistime was good value for his recent success at Chepstow but a combination of a longer trip today and a 7lb penalty may prevent him from following up and a better bet looks to be MR BIG, who gets the vote ahead of Ballyvaden. The last mentioned unseated his rider last time but Caroline Keevil's gelding is a confirmed performer on testing ground and there could be more to come from him off a fair mark. Ravenscar has been running creditably of late but has not won for over a year now so looks best watched even off his current mark, while Battlefield has more to do off his new mark than when successful here last month. Jimmy Frost's Whatcanisay needs to step up on recent efforts and a safer option looks to be Mr Big. Charlie Mann's gelding has shown improved form over the last year, winning three of his last seven starts, and he is taken to make it four from eight here.
Aheadofhistime (IRE) 9-2jt-fav (11-7) Held up, steady headway 7th, ridden to lead last, kept on, won at Chepstow 2m cnd hcp chs (5) hvy beating Guns of Love (10-0) by 5l, 11 ran.
Mr Big (IRE) 11-4fav (11-5) In touch, blundered 10th, headway after 3 out, went 2nd 2 out, led last, hung left and idled flat but stayed on well, won at Folkestone 2m 5f cnd hcp chs (5) gd beating Perange (11-8) by 4l, 14 ran.
Ballyvaden (IRE) 4-1 (11-5) Prominent, ridden and weakening when mistake and unseated rider 4 out in race won by Nearly A Breeze (10-1) at Exeter 2m 7f nov hcp hdl 0-100 (4) gd, 11 ran.
Battlefield 16-1 (9-12) Always prominent, chased leader approaching 3rd, led just after 7th, not fluent 9th, jumped left final 2, edged right flat, driven clear, won at Leicester 2m nov hcp chs 0-110 (4) gs in Dec beating Ours (11-12) by 6l, 7 ran.
Whatcanisay 7-1 (10-12) Tracked leaders, ridden and every chance approaching 4 out, weakened quickly, 5th of 9, 36l behind Rosie All Over (11-12) at Exeter 3m nov hcp chs 0-105 (4) sft in Dec.
Ravenscar 8-1 (10-9) Chased leader approaching 2nd, led 7th, jumped right 9th, ridden and headed 2 out, weakened flat, 4th of 10, 16l behind Cybora (10-9) at Leicester 2m 4f chs 0-90 (5) gd in Nov.
Regal Term (IRE) 14-1 (10-11) Towards rear, mistake 3rd, reminders 5th, stayed on but never troubled winner, 3rd of 13, 34l behind Zanzibar Boy (11-4) at Towcester 2m 3f hcp chs 0-100 (4) gs in Dec.
Hazeam 40-1 (10-3) Always behind, tailed off when pulled up 5 out in race won by Sycho Fred (10-5) at Market Rasen 2m 6f nov hcp chs 0-105 (4) sft in Dec, 11 ran.
Fight The Feeling 12-1 (9-12) Mid-division, headway approaching 8th, weakened approaching 10th, 5th of 15, 32l behind Jackella (11-12) at Uttoxeter 2m 5f hcp chs 0-90 (5) gs in May.
Lord Gunnerslake (IRE) 40-1 (10-0) In touch, ridden and weakened 6th, tailed off when pulled up 4 out in race won by Yellow Flag (10-12) at Stratford 2m 1f hcp chs 0-95 (5) gd in Jul, 15 ran.
