held up in rear, not fluent 5th or 6th, headway after 4 out, soon weakened, pulled up before 3 out
tracked leaders, 2nd from 11th, 2 lengths off winner when stumbled and unseated rider 3 out
mid-division, mistake 9th, headway 11th, close 3rd after 4 out, hit 3 out and left 2nd, no impression on winner when mistake next
made all, mistake 3 out, clear when blundered next, stayed on
tracked winner, pecked 1st, lost 2nd 11th, struggling 4 out, tailed off
chased leaders, ridden after 4 out, weakened before left remote 3rd 2 out
held up in rear, hampered before not fluent 11th, headway after 4 out, weakened before being left remote 4th 3 out
Thedrinkymeister stays well but is very one-paced. Cyclop won the Lincolnshire National here on Boxing Day but really needs extreme distances. Milly Baloo has a decent course record but has only won the once. However, she would have doubled her tally over fences at Catterick in February had she not run out when clear at the last and is only 3lb higher. SHOCKINGTIMES is a decent handicapper when the fences don’t get in the way. Despite a 7lb rise for winning at Haydock, Jamie Snowden’s 11-year-old is still well treated on his best form. Lip Service runs over fences for the first time since joining Fergal O’Brien and is worth considering but cheekpieces would need to bring about a big improvement in Square Viviani. Russborough’s stable is back in form but he’s not really moved forward from a comeback second at Ascot.
Lip Service (IRE) 11-4fav (11-10) Chased leaders on inside, awkward 2nd, slightly hampered on bend after 3 out, outpaced when slightly hampered again approaching 2 out, weakened between last 2, 5th of 9, 9l behind Tzar De L'elfe (10-9) at Sandown 2m 4f hcp (4) sft in Mar.
Cyclop (IRE) 7-1 (11-9) Close up, pushed along and lost place before 7 out, at Warwick 3m 5f hcp (3) sft in Mar.
Shockingtimes (IRE) 7-1 (11-4) Mid-division, headway 4 out to chase leaders, led 2 out, kept on well, won at Haydock 2m 7f hcp (4) sft in Mar beating Buffalo Ballet (11-0) by 7l, 9 ran.
Thedrinkymeister (IRE) 12-1 (11-6) In rear, mistake 4th, soon pushed along, headway before 4 out, one pace, 7th of 9, 29l behind Two Smokin Barrels (11-11) at Wincanton 3m 1f hcp (3) sft in Mar.
Russborough (FR) 12-1 (12-3) Chased leaders on inside, went left 7th and 10th, outpaced 4 out, plugged on, 4th of 9, 18l behind Abracadabra Sivola (11-12) at Kempton 3m hcp (4) sft in Mar.
Milly Baloo 11-1 (10-6) Tracked leaders, ridden and one pace from 4 out, 6th 2 out, kept on flat, went 4th towards finish, 4th of 10, 11 1/2l behind Rons Dream (11-10) at Haydock 2m 6f hcp (2) sft in Mar.
Square Viviani (FR) 12-1 (11-7) Tracked leaders in 3rd, headway before 4 out, one pace before 2 out, 3rd of 4, 19l behind Allmyown (10-4) at Wetherby 2m 5f hcp (4) hvy in Mar.
