held up in mid-division, steady headway 9th, chased leaders next, weakened approaching 14th, behind and pulled up before next
reminder soon after start, tended to jump left, chased leaders, went 2nd after 8th, challenged 12th, lost 2nd soon after 14th, weakened before 3 out, behind and pulled up before next
held up towards rear, steady headway into mid-division 14th, chased leading duo before 3 out, dropped to 4th and mistake 2 out, rallied to 3rd again towards finish
chased leader, led 3rd until next, led again 7th, blundered and headed soon after 4 out, chased winner, well held from 3 out, lost 2nd before last, chased leading pair, weakened and lost 2 places towards finish
held up in rear, blundered 5th, headway to mid-division when hit 13th, hampered 14th, mistake 4 out, ridden and weakened soon after, tailed off
led until 3rd, chased leader, led again 4th until 7th, lost 2nd after 8th, stayed chasing leaders, weakened before 14th, tailed off
mid-division, struggling and towards rear 9th, mistake next, rallied to poor 6th 2 out
in touch, headway to 3rd after 12th, went 2nd after 14th, challenging when bumped 4 out and led soon after, clear 2 out, stayed on strongly, eased final 150 yards
chased leaders, ridden after 13th, went left next, kept on same pace from 3 out, went 4th close home and just missed 3rd
chased leaders until lost place and towards rear 7th, pushed along and struggling 10th, tailed off and pulled up before 4 out
held up towards rear, steady headway approaching 3 out, went 3rd 2 out, went well held 2nd before pecked last, no chance with easy winner
Nonrunner
It was fast ground when Handy Andy scored at Cheltenham in November and he's failed to figure off a higher mark in a couple of subsequent starts. Railway Dillon took advantage of a slide down the weights to score at Bangor last month and should go well again, but FINANCIAL CLIMATE makes more appeal. The latter just held on to beat Faultless Feelings here last month and has been raised 8lb for his trouble, but may still have more to offer. Ringa Bay is upped in class after scoring at Huntingdon while both Duke Of Monmouth and Bendant won lower grade chases before failing to complete on their latest outings.
Handy Andy (IRE) 16-1 (11-4) Held up towards rear, headway when hampered 9th, never on terms, well beaten from 12th, 7th of 13, 39l behind Mendip Express (11-7) at Cheltenham 3m 2f hcp chs 0-145 (2) sft.
Railway Dillon (IRE) 9-1 (11-6) Close up, led 4th, headed 6th, led again 9th, headed 4 out and outpaced, headway before 2 out, led before last, kept on, won at Bangor 3m hcp chs 0-135 (3) sft in Dec beating Present View (11-10) by 1 1/2l, 8 ran.
Financial Climate (IRE) 4-1 (10-9) Held up in last pair, headway to chase leaders and blundered 4 out, went 2nd 2 out, ridden soon after, 1 length down last, driven and stayed on to lead final 200 yards, won at Newbury 3m 2f hcp chs 0-130 (3) sft in Dec beating Faultless Feelings (11-7) by 3/4l, 7 ran.
Golden Call (IRE) 9-1 (11-10) Prominent, blundered 1st, mistake 10th, lost place 11th, weakened approaching 4 out, tailed off, 6th of 11, 42l behind Off The Ground (11-0) at Doncaster 2m 3f hcp chs 0-130 (3) gd in Nov.
Dunlough Bay (IRE) 13-2 (11-0) Prominent, led 8th until 12th, no impression on winner before last, 2nd of 7, 10l behind Baby Shine (10-7) at Towcester 2m 6f beg chs (4) hvy in Dec.
Tullyraine (IRE) 5-2fav (11-2) Led, soon clear, ridden before last, headed run-in, no extra, 2nd of 7, 3l behind Herdsman (10-11) at Bangor 3m nov hcp chs 0-125 (3) sft in Nov.
Winds And Waves (IRE) 3-1 (11-2) Tracked leader, mistake and soon pushed along and lost place from 12th, soon pulled up, in a race won by Herdsman (10-11) at Bangor 3m nov hcp chs 0-125 (3) sft in Nov, 7 ran.
Restless Harry 11-2 (10-9) Mid-division, headway 5th, tracking leaders when blundered and unseated rider 9th, in a race won by Mendip Express (11-7) at Cheltenham 3m 2f hcp chs 0-145 (2) sft, 13 ran.
Ringa Bay 5-2 (11-5) Made all, not fluent 5th, pressed when left 5 lengths clear 2 out, hung left approaching last and flat, held on, won at Huntingdon 2m 4f hcp chs 0-120 (4) hvy beating Mentalist (11-10) by 3/4l, 3 ran.
Duke Of Monmouth (IRE) 4-1 (11-2) Tracked leaders, lost place 5th, struggling 7th, behind when pulled up after 10th, in a race won by Samstown (10-3) at Market Rasen 3m 1f nov hcp chs 0-125 (3) sft in Dec, 7 ran.
Bendant 25-1 (10-4) Mid-division, closed on outside before 2nd, challenged 4th until ridden after 11th, struggling after 12th, pulled up before last, in a race won by Mendip Express (11-7) at Cheltenham 3m 2f hcp chs 0-145 (2) sft, 13 ran.
Tullamore Dew (IRE) 8-1 (10-0) Mid-division, ridden and one pace from 4 out, 2nd of 8, 10l behind Cloudy Too (11-0) at Wetherby 3m 1f Grade 3 hcp chs (4yo+) (1) sft in Dec.
Yellow Ball (FR) 10-1 (11-4) Raced wide and held up, pushed along after 7th, dropped in rear before 10th, tailed off and pulled up before 12th, in a race won by Mart Lane (11-12) at Doncaster 3m hcp chs 0-135 (3) gs in Dec, 9 ran.
