tracked leaders, lost place 6th, soon weakened, tailed off
held up towards rear and raced wide, jumped left 3rd, headway before 3 out, one pace and no impression
tracked leaders, led after 2nd, headed 6th, pushed along after 7th, ridden and weakened before 3 out, pulled up before 2 out
held up mid-division, pushed along 7th, ridden before 2 out, soon weakened
led, headed after 2nd, led again 6th, headed after 4 out, soon ridden and weakened, pulled up before 2 out
held up towards rear, headway before 3 out, challenged when mistake last, ridden to lead run-in, kept on well
tracked leader, mistake 4 out, led soon after, ridden and hung right before last, headed run-in, no extra
held up towards rear, headway before 7th, chased leaders before 4 out, ridden before last, kept on
in rear, weakened after 4 out, tailed off
Border Lad did well last season, winning at Hereford and Ffos Las. He's only a couple of pounds higher than when going close on his final start of the campaign and should be prominent here if fully wound-up. Rifleman is rated 14lb lower over hurdles than fences but hasn't shown much sparkle lately and will do well to beat PLATIN GROUNDS at the weights. The latter's two starts have been in sellers but he wasn't beaten far off this mark at Worcester last month and wouldn't need to improve much on that to land this. Roxane Bruere is back on a winning mark and could also figure if her Warwick run has blown away a few cobwebs.
Fletch And Lenny (IRE) 40-1 (11-1) Towards rear, last before 4th, soon lost touch, tailed off, 7th of 9, well behind Lively Fling (11-9) at Warwick 2m nov hcp hdl 0-110 (4) hvy in Jan.
Rifleman (IRE) 9-1 (11-3) Always in rear, behind from 14th, 6th of 8, well behind Justabout (10-12) at Exeter 3m hcp chs 0-115 (4) gf in Oct.
Platin Grounds (GER) 11-2 (11-12) Prominent, ridden approaching 3 out, led 2 out, hung right after last, soon headed, unable to quicken, 2nd of 8, 1 1/4l behind Loco Grande (11-12) at Worcester 3m sell hcp hdl 0-95 (5) gd in Oct.
Border Lad 9-2 (11-0) Led, edged right approaching 5th, not fluent 7th, clear after 2 out, blundered and reduced advantage last, headed close home, 2nd of 10, nk behind The Wee Midget (11-9) at Hereford 2m 6f hcp hdl 0-95 (5) gf in Apr.
Orpen Wide (IRE) 33-1 (10-7) Mid-division, chased leaders 7th, outpaced 3 out, never on terms, 4th of 10, 29l behind The Grey One (10-8) at Huntingdon 2m hcp chs 0-95 (5) gd in Oct.
Maderson Blue (IRE) 14-1 (10-6) Mid-division, ridden after 4th, lost place after next, tailed off, 13th of 14, well behind Bolanderi (10-2) at Worcester 2m nov hcp hdl 0-105 (4) gd in Sep.
Roxane Bruere (FR) 10-1 (9-4) Jumped right, led until 4th, weakened after 3 out, 9th of 10, 34l behind Dormouse (11-4) at Warwick 2m hcp hdl 0-110 (4) gf.
Derwen Pryde 80-1 (10-5) Held up, headway 7th, lost place 3 out, 6th of 8, well behind Paddy The Hare (10-12) at Uttoxeter 2m 4f nh nov hdl (4) gf in Oct.
Red O'Donnell (IRE) 20-1 (12-0) (tt) hdwy 12; wknd 15; pu nxt, in a race won by Flying Gnu (11-0) at Chaddesley Corbett 3m ptp gd in May, 13 ran.
