led until after 1st, jumped slowly and lost place 3rd, headway 9th, jumped left and weakened 3 out
soon lost touch, tailed off when pulled up before 4 out
held up, not fluent 3rd, headway after 7th, chased winner from next, no impression 2 out, well held when hit last
held up in rear, behind 10th, stayed on to take 4th approaching last, never nearer
tracked leaders, ridden after 9th, stayed on same pace from 3 out
prominent, led 6th, clear 2 out, easily
led after 1st, not fluent and headed 6th, lost place before 9th, well behind 11th, pulled up before 3 out
tracked leaders, ridden after 4 out, weakened approaching 3 out
David Pipe's FROSTED GRAPE was fortunate to win by as far as she did when successful here last time and does have to defy a 12lb rise for that victory but she looks the one they all have to beat and gets the vote to score again. Sue Smith's Ragador won well enough at Market Rasen last month but is now 6lb higher, while Mark Bradstock's Radetsky March was brought down at the first fence on his most recent start and is better judged by his win at Bangor the time before, although he is now 10lb higher in the weights. Jimmy Frost's Sporting Rebel has been running well and should be thereabouts again but he looks booked for a place at best and a safer option looks to be the in-form Frosted Grape.
Radetsky March (IRE) 10-1 (10-12) Hampered and fell 1st, in a race won by Passato (11-3) at Newton Abbot 2m 5f listed hcp chs (1) gd in Aug, 16 ran.
Au Courant (IRE) 22-1 (11-0) Hampered 1st, always in rear, tailed off, 10th of 16, well behind Passato (11-3) at Newton Abbot 2m 5f listed hcp chs (1) gd in Aug.
Jimbatai (IRE) 5-1 (11-9) Held up mid-division, chased leaders approaching 9th, ridden and weakened approaching 4 out, 4th of 9, 24l behind Silmi (11-7) at Cartmel 2m 5f hcp chs 0-125 (3) gd in Aug.
Le Commencement (IRE) 20-1 (10-10) Raced wide, chased leaders, weakened before 3 out, tailed off when pulled up before next, in a race won by Volador (11-6) at Wincanton 2m 6f hcp hdl 0-125 (3) hvy in Jan, 16 ran.
Sporting Rebel (IRE) 11-1 (11-7) In touch in mid-division, not fluent 7th (water), closed 12th, went 3rd when mistake 3 out (water), stayed on to take 2nd flat, no impression on eased down winner, 2nd of 8, 2 3/4l behind Moulin De La Croix (10-7) at Newton Abbot 2m 5f hcp chs 0-120 (3) hvy.
Frosted Grape (IRE) 13-8fav (10-6) Pressed leaders, led after 6th, ridden after 3 out, soon pressed, jumped right, bumped and left well clear last, won at Uttoxeter 2m 4f hcp chs 0-115 (4) gs beating Buailteoir (10-2) by 41l, 10 ran.
Ragador 5-1 (10-0) Made virtualy all, ridden approaching 2 out, stayed on under pressure flat, won at Market Rasen 2m 4f hcp chs 0-125 (3) gd in Aug beating Ohana (11-0) by 2 1/4l, 5 ran.
Red Jester 6-1 (10-8) Tracked leader, not fluent 1st, ridden 4 out, weakened approaching next, tailed off, 5th of 7, 41l behind Kirkhammerton (11-3) at Market Rasen 2m 2f hcp chs 0-115 (4) gd in Aug.
