Penny Park gets the vote here with Back In Business and Lizzie Bathwick rated as the main dangers. The selection is likely to go off a fairly skinny price here but a repeat of his latest third in a better race should be enough to take this moderate contest. Phillip Hobbs has his horses in good form at present and with Tom O'Brien still drawing the plaudits for his riding, this partnership look to have major claims. The main danger should come from Lizzie Bathwick who is yet to win in nine chase attempts but her third last time out reads well in the context of this race and she should be thereabouts. Back In Business would go close if reproducing his penultimate run when third at Chepstow, however he has flanked that effort with two poor runs and so cannot be relied on here. Frosty Run will need to put a disappointing last effort behind him if he is to go close, although he is lightly raced for a 9-year-old so he may show some more today. Lyon would have finished closer last time out but for a final fence blunder so he must rate a live danger at a bigger price, however we will return to Penny Park as our idea of the winner.
Penny Park (IRE) 5-2fav (10-13) Tracked leader 3rd until hampered 5th, stayed on same pace, 3rd of 7, 20l behind Balladeer (11-4) at Kempton 3m hcp chs 0-120 (3) gd in Nov.
Lyon 40-1 (10-13) Prominent, ridden after 13th, close 3rd when blundered last, weakened flat, 3rd of 11, 7l behind Fight The Feeling (10-2) at Ludlow 2m 4f nov hcp chs 0-100 (4) gs in Dec.
Frosty Run (IRE) 9-1 (11-0) Held up, behind when pulled up 5 out in race won by Ferimon (11-2) at Huntingdon 3m nov hcp chs 0-110 (4) gs in Dec, 17 ran.
Lizzie Bathwick (IRE) 12-1 (11-3) In touch, not fluent 1st and 2nd, outpaced after 11th, stayed on again from 2 out, 3rd of 7, 15l behind Chamoss Royale (11-9) at Exeter 2m 3f mrs nov chs (4) sft in Dec.
Star Angler (IRE) 10-1 (11-3) In touch, mistake 8th, ridden and weakened 14th, 5th of 10, 42l behind Chopneyev (10-8) at Hereford 3m 1f hcp chs 0-110 (4) sft in Dec.
Super Judge (IRE) 10-1 (11-4) Always behind, 14th of 16, 39l behind Mount Benger (10-9) at Hereford 2m 1f nov hcp hdl 0-105 (4) gs in Dec.
Back In Business (IRE) 10-3 (10-12) Held up, well behind from 7th, tailed off when pulled up 3 out in race won by Solid As A Rock (10-7) at Towcester 3m chs 0-90 (5) sft in Dec, 13 ran.
Ossmann (IRE) 20-1 (10-12) Led to 6th, weakened approaching 2 out, 8th of 14, 43l behind Treasury Counsel (10-12) at Hereford 2m 3f mdn hdl (4) gs in Dec.
Lago d'Oro 80-1 (10-11) Raced in 4th, dropped to rear 7th, blundered 8th, lost touch next, tailed off, last of 5, well behind My Way de Solzen (11-4) at Cheltenham 2m 5f nov chs Grd 2 (1) hvy.
Mountsorrel (IRE) 150-1 (9-10) In touch, ridden 5 out, weakening when pulled up 3 out in race won by Anshabil (11-9) at Hereford 2m 3f hcp chs 0-95 (5) sft in Dec, 17 ran.
Jet Magic (IRE) 33-1 (11-0) Chased winner, mistake 6th, weakened 10th and pulled up at the 13th in race won by Florida Dream (11-7) at Warwick 3m hcp chs 0-115 (4) hvy in Dec, 11 ran.
