made all, jumped right from 4 out, mistake last, kept on well
chased leaders, chased winner and blundered 4 out, hit last, no chance with winner
in touch, mistake 3rd, stumbled and weakened from 5 out
chased winner until approaching 4 out, outpaced
Howard Johnson has plenty of runners with chances at Wetherby and has another with every opportunity here in the shape of Hexham winner Striking Article who lost no caste in defeat behind Tatenen at Aintree last time but he may have to settle for minor honours again with preference for WILL BE DONE, who is marginally preferred to Tot O'Whiskey. Malcolm Jefferson's gelding has run well in all four starts over fences this term and can again be expected to be thereabouts at the business end of the race. Henry Daly has his team in good from now so Pop has to be considered but he needs to improve on all known form to trouble the judge and a better bet looks to be Will Be Done. Don McCain's gelding showed that there was nothing fortuitous over his defeat of Nine de Sivola at Market Rasen last month when landing a decent novice chase here last time and a reproduction of that form may well suffice today.
Will Be Done (IRE) 2-1fav (11-6) Led to 2nd, left and lead 4th, cleared 2 out, jumped right last easily, won at Wetherby 2m 4f nov chs (3) sft beating Ragador (10-7) by 11l, 6 ran.
Pop (FR) 4-1 (11-0) Held up in touch, headway 10th, led 3 out, driven out, won at Doncaster 2m 3f beg chs (4) sft beating Greenbridge (11-0) by 5l, 11 ran.
Striking Article (IRE) 9-4 (11-2) Led, blundered 2nd, headed 6th, weakened from 3 out, 3rd of 5, 28l behind Tatenen (10-7) at Aintree 2m lst nov chs (1) gs in Oct.
Tot O'Whiskey 7-1 (11-6) Tracked leader from 5th, pecked 4 out, ridden and every chance 2 out, soon outpaced, mistake last, 3rd of 5, 20l behind What A Friend (11-6) at Cheltenham 3m 1f nov chs (2) gs.
Lusento (IRE) 20-1 (10-5) In touch, outpaced 6th, soon beaten, 6th of 7, 25l behind More Like It (11-8) at Newcastle 2m nov hcp chs 0-105 (4) sft.
