tracked leaders, pushed along 6 out, soon outpaced, stayed on from 2 out, kept on towards finish
led, ridden and not fluent 2 out, pressed last, soon headed, no extra
in rear, went 3rd 5 out, went 2nd before 3 out, weakened last
tracked leader, mistake 6 out, pushed along before 4 out, went 2nd 2 out, led after last, held on well
Nonrunner
Riskier is 3lb better off than when collared close home by HABBIE SIMPSON at Newcastle but the latter was probably value for more than that margin as Tom Hamilton had had to sit tight when his mount made a hash of the second-last. Pauline Robson's charge, who won a hunter chase over track and track last season, can confirm running and complete the double. Quito Du Tresor is only 3lb higher than when just touched off over course and distance earlier this month but is hard to predict nowadays and Man With Van's good form last summer is becoming a distant memory. Vengeur De Guye could be interesting, however, as he tackles fences for the first time since arriving from France.
Habbie Simpson 17-2 (10-6) Held up in touch, driven and outpaced before 4 out, ridden after next, 4 lengths down in 4th 2 out, rallied flat, led near finish, won at Newcastle 2m 4f hcp chs 0-135 (3) sft in Dec beating Riskier (10-7) by 1/2l, 7 ran.
Riskier 7-1 (10-7) Led, headed narrowly 8th, regained narrow lead 5 out to next, with leader, led again last, ridden flat, headed and no extra near finish, 2nd of 7, 1/2l behind Habbie Simpson (10-6) at Newcastle 2m 4f hcp chs 0-135 (3) sft in Dec.
Vengeur De Guye (FR) 50-1 (11-7) Held up in rear, headway 4 out, ridden 2 out, soon weakened, 10th of 19, 22l behind Chesterfield (11-10) at Cheltenham 2m nov hcp hdl (3) sft in Nov.
Quito Du Tresor (FR) 12-1 (10-8) Held up in touch, went 2nd from 5 out, led before last, kept on and headed post, 2nd of 9, shd behind Reaping The Reward (10-11) at Musselburgh 2m 4f hcp chs 0-140 (3) sft.
Man With Van (IRE) 11-1 (11-9) Held up towards rear, weakened before 5 out, went poor 3rd before last, 3rd of 6, 34l behind Wakanda (11-4) at Kelso 2m 7f nov chs (3) sft in Dec.