led, raced keenly, jumped right, headed 13th, weakened 2 out
chased leaders to 13th
mid-division, headway approaching 9th, weakened next, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out
chased leaders, blundered 3rd, soon lost place, headway approaching 11th, led 13th, hit 2 out, soon ridden, headed approaching last, weakened flat
held up in rear, blundered 1st, no chance when blundered badly 3 out, virtually pulled up flat, tailed off
held up towards rear, headway 7th, weakened 12th
jumped slowly throughout, in rear, headway 11th, went 2nd last, stayed on under pressure on extended flat to lead towards finish
held up towards rear, headway on inside approaching 3 out, beaten before 2 out, went moderate 3rd on extended flat
mid-division, ridden before 9th, weakening when mistake next, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out
held up in rear, jumped right and mistake 6th, headway going well 12th, led approaching last, headed towards finish
raced wide, prominent, weakened approaching 3 out
prominent, mistake 1st, ridden after 10th, weakened 2 out
chased leaders, struggling 13th, no impression after
MANDINGO CHIEF is one of the more solid in the race and is taken to see off the strong challenge of Katalak, Marrel and Present Gale. Brendan Powell's ten-year-old comes here on the back of a good second to Marufo at Southwell. He has form on a variety of surfaces however he probably doesn't want extremes of going so he should get his ground tonight. He is now 3lb above his highest winning mark but supporters are almost guaranteed to get a good run for their money. Bonne Noel's was a winner of a hunter chase at Fakenham in April but form from that track doesn't always translate and he was very poor over hurdles last time out. Katalak ran well in defeat last time out at the track and a repeat of that run should see him go close, although his wins to runs record makes scarier reading than the new Stephen King offering. Marrel almost took advantage of his lowest ever mark when second on a recent return to action at Ffos Las and he cannot be ignored despite being edged back up a couple of pounds, however it may be that Present Gale is the more eminent danger. Jonjo O'Neill's charge was a good winner at Southwell in August of last year and he is unexposed. Off for the winter following an average run at Exeter, this seven-year-old is only likely to get better with age and shouldn't be far away if taking to the first-time cheek-pieces. Charles Street and Tarsus are linked on a run behind Sea Wall last time, where Tarsus came out on top, whilst Keltic Lord was impressive last time out at Perth but will certainly find this race much tougher, especially as the 13-year-old has an 8lb rise in the weights to contend with. Bring Me Sunshine is better than we have seen recently but seems to have spat the dummy out in spectacular fashion, and so it is Mandingo Chief that we return to for the winner.
Billesey (IRE) 100-1 (10-9) Led until after 7th, weakened approaching 2 out, 5th of 14, 26l behind Billie Magern (10-7) at Worcester 2m 4f nh nov hdl (4) gf.
Bring Me Sunshine (IRE) 12-1 (10-6) Towards rear, last when not fluent 7th, soon ridden along, lost touch after 11th, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out, in a race won by Seymar Lad (10-11) at Stratford 2m 7f hcp chs 0-135 (3) gd in Jun, 12 ran.
Mandingo Chief (IRE) 8-1 (11-7) Soon chasing leaders, ridden 3 out, badly hampered 2 out, went 2nd after last, kept on, 2nd of 9, 6l behind Marufo (11-9) at Southwell 3m 2f hcp chs 0-115 (4) gd in Jun.
Bonne Noel's (IRE) 33-1 (11-5) Held up mid-division, weakened from 8th, tailed off 4 out, pulled up before 3 out, in a race won by Whats Up Bob (10-11) at Uttoxeter 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-115 (4) gd in Jun, 17 ran.
Katalak (IRE) 22-1 (10-12) Held up, headway 8th, led 2 out, all out and headed flat, 2nd of 13, 1 3/4l behind Native City (10-12) at Worcester 2m 7f nov chs 0-105 (4) gf in Jun.
Marrel 33-1 (10-1) Held up in touch, headway 4 out, every chance approaching last, no extra, 2nd of 13, 4l behind Nostringsattached (11-6) at Ffos Las 2m 5f hcp chs 0-125 (3) gd in Jun.
Present Gale (IRE) 9-2 (11-6) Mid-division, reminders after 7th, driven along from 10th, headway from 12th, went 3rd approaching 4 out, weakened 3 out, 3rd of 12, 25l behind Lucky Luk (10-10) at Exeter 3m hcp chs 0-110 (4) gs in Oct.
Charles Street 16-1 (10-10) Towards rear, not fluent 5th, ridden 14th, plugged on to take 3rd 2 out, 3rd of 16, 19l behind Sea Wall (11-7) at Ffos Las 3m hcp chs 0-115 (4) gd in Jun.
Tarsus 11-2 (10-0) Towards rear, headway 11th, tracked winner from 14th, weakened 2 out, 2nd of 16, 9l behind Sea Wall (11-7) at Ffos Las 3m hcp chs 0-115 (4) gd in Jun.
Beehawk 15-2 (11-7) Mid-division when unseated rider 2nd, in a race won by Dan Ryan (11-0) at Newton Abbot 2m 5f hcp chs 0-105 (4) gd in Jun, 13 ran.
Keltic Lord 16-1 (11-8) Made all, stayed on well from last, easily, won at Perth 3m hcp 0-90 (5) gf beating Ballynure (10-7) by 10l, 14 ran.
Classic Rock 8-1 (10-8) Led, ridden and headed over 3 out, soon weakened, 4th of 12, 37l behind El Bandindos (11-12) at Uttoxeter 3m hcp ch 0-110 (4) gd in Jun.
Misamon (FR) 9-2 (10-0) With leader, led 2nd, driven and headed before 3 out, left 3rd next, no impression, 3rd of 13, 16l behind Winchester Red (10-11) at Southwell 2m 5f (4) gd.
