led, headed 4 out, soon niggled along, ridden for effort after last, kept on but always held by winner
tracked leader, niggled along 11th, good jump to lead 4 out, ridden for effort approaching 2 out, ran on well flat
chased leaders, mistake 5th, outpaced by leaders after 4 out, made no impression from 3 out
held up, not fluent 5th, lost touch with leaders 9th, pulled up before 10th
prominent, lost place and blundered 4th, soon in last and jumped slowly 6th, tailed off 7th, went remote 4th before 10th, completed in own time
It’s tempting to stick with Darling Maltaix now he’s got his head in front but he’s never been the most consistent, though he was well ahead of Boreham Bill at Stratford with the latter having failed to take to fences so far. WINTER GETAWAY got taken off his feet by a couple of useful novices at Uttoxeter but was staying on in the closing stages and that experience will not have been lost on Philip Hobbs’ seven-year-old. Senior Citizen won at Fakenham in February but hasn’t raced since last at Stratford the following month.
Darling Maltaix (FR) 5-1 (11-2) Made all, shaken up before last, ridden flat, held on, won at Stratford 2m 3f (4) gd in Sep beating Seddon (11-8) by nk, 6 ran.
Senior Citizen 7-2 (11-4) Tracked leaders, weakened 2 out, last of 4, 14l behind Tidal Flow (11-4) at Stratford 2m 5f (4) sft in Mar.
Boreham Bill (IRE) 10-3 (11-2) Chased leaders, slow and lost place 3rd, mistakes after, closed 4 out, went 3rd from 2 out, no impression and dropped to 4th before last, 4th of 6, 19 1/4l behind Darling Maltaix (11-2) at Stratford 2m 3f (4) gd in Sep.
She's A Legend 8-1 (11-0) (tt) hdwy 9; wknd qckly 3 out; t.o, 4th of 5, dist behind Taboo (11-7) at Ffos Las P-t-p Course 2m 5f mdn fll sft in Dec.
Winter Getaway (IRE) 6-1 (10-5) Held up in rear, went modest 3rd 3 out, no chance with front pair, 3rd of 6, 21 3/4l behind Longhouse Sale (11-10) at Uttoxeter 2m 4f (3) gd in Sep.
