chased leaders, not fluent 5th, went 2nd before 7th, led 3 out, driven out
held up in rear, headway after 3 out, chased winner last, edged left flat, stayed on, no impression
held up towards rear, not fluent 4th, headway after 3 out, beaten before 2 out
always in rear, pulled up before 3 out
chased leader, hit 4th, reminders approaching 6th, lost 2nd before next, soon weakened, tailed off
led to 3 out, lost place before next, stayed on approaching last to take 3rd flat, no danger
prominent, took keen hold, every chance 2 out, weakened flat
not fluent, in rear, reminders 3rd, tailed off when pulled up before 2 out
mid-division, headway 7th, weakened between last 2
mid-division, headway 3 out, soon weakened, pulled up before 2 out
Sunset Song has to be considered with Ferdy Murphy having his team in good form but the five-year-old was tailed off before running out four from home on her hurdling debut at Carlisle last month and she looks best watched with a better bet looking to be MINOUCHKA, who is preferred to Seedless. Don McCain's filly was moderate on the level but already looks better over hurdles having run well before falling at the last on her debut and then running a creditable fourth at Worcester on her latest start in September. Stuart Crawford's Aibrean was a good winner of an Irish point and she has to be considered on her rules debut, while Malcolm Jefferson's Zoenicibel has been well held in all three starts in bumpers and is hard to recommend on her hurdling debut. Wheyaye has shown some promise but is hard to back with confidence, while Border Flora has given little sign of encouragement. The vote then goes the way of Simon Shirley-Beavan's Minouchka, who is making her debut over hurdles but has shown a relatively decent level of form in hunter chases and latterly in point-to-points and she looks worth siding with in this contest.
Aibrean (IRE) 3-1 (12-0) Alw pr, cl 3rd 3out, chall 2out, ld last & mstk, ko best up, won at Toomebridge 3m ire ptp sft in Oct beating Coolcalm (12-0) by 3 1/2l, 15 ran.
Aint She The Lady (IRE) 14-1 (10-5) Held up behind, pushed along approaching 3 out, some headway, never on terms, 6th of 12, 15l behind Alvarado (10-12) at Carlisle 2m 1f nh nov hdl (4) gf in Oct.
Border Flora 28-1 (10-0) Behind, struggling 5th, kept on under pressure from 2 out, never near leaders, 4th of 11, 37l behind Soft Spoken Guy (10-9) at Hexham 2m 4f nh nov hdl (4) gs.
Cos Your Georgeous 16-1 (10-12) Tracked leader, weakened over 3f out, 10th of 11, well behind Sure Josie Sure (10-12) at Haydock 2m N H flat (5) hvy.
Hathamore 200-1 (10-7) Towards rear, mistake 2nd, pushed along after 5th, tailed off 3 out, 10th of 12, well behind Now This Is It (10-11) at Perth 2m 4f mdn hdl (5) gd in Sep.
Minouchka (FR) 8-1 (9-10) Held up towards rear, struggling from 5 out, 7th of 13, 44l behind Backstage (10-5) at Perth 3m hcp chs 0-145 (2) gf in May.
Seedless 6-1 (10-3) Prominent, raced keenly, ridden approaching 3 out, weakened approaching last, 4th of 12, 18l behind William's Wishes (10-13) at Worcester 2m 4f mdn hdl (4) gd in Sep.
Sunset Song 25-1 (10-5) Keen early, held up in rear, soon pushed along, well behind when ran out 6th, in a race won by Alvarado (10-12) at Carlisle 2m 1f nh nov hdl (4) gf in Oct, 12 ran.
Wheyaye 33-1 (10-9) Behind, struggling halfway, kept on from 3 out, never near leaders, 4th of 11, 8l behind Magellan Straits (10-13) at Newcastle 2m nh nov hdl (4) hvy in Feb.
Zoenicibel 8-1 (11-2) Held up in rear, pushed along 7f out, ridden over 3f out, no headway, 7th of 9, 41l behind Gentle Caribou (11-2) at Towcester 2m N H flat (5) hvy in Feb.
