held up, blundered 5th, jumped right 8th, soon struggling, tailing off when jumped badly right 10th, pulled up before 4 out
jumped left 1st, not really going after in rear, well behind when pulled up before 8th
in touch, led 9th, clear 11th, unchallenged
towards rear, jumped right 8th, soon struggling, tailed off when pulled up before 4 out
in touch, lost place 6th, mistake 9th, no chance when mistake 3 out
mid-division, headway 3rd, chased winner 11th until 4 out, weakening when mistake 2 out, tailed off
chased leader, led 6th to 9th, weakened after 11th, tailed off when pulled up before 4 out
chased leaders, ridden after 11th, one pace from 2 out
detached in last from 2nd, pulled up after 6th
held up, not fluent 5th, headway 9th, weakened approaching last
in rear, jumped right 1st, headway after 11th, chased winner and jumped right from 3 out, no impression
led to 6th, weakened 9th, tailed off when pulled up before 4 out
mid-division, headway 9th, mistake 11th, weakened approaching 2 out
Presenting Alf is narrowly preferred here to Gerrard, with Lusaka De Pembo the other to consider. The selection was running over fences for only the second time when scoring last time over this course and distance. That win will have given his confidence a real boost and with ground conditions to suit he is taken to go in again. Gerrard is an obvious danger as he has shown some much improved form since reverting to the birch, but the form of his latest win has been since let down by the second and for that reason he is narrowly passed over. Lusaka De Pembo chased home Romney Marsh at Towcester last time and a reproduction of that effort would certainly make him competitive today. Arctic Cherry would also have claims granted a clear round but that is far from guaranteed and we will stick with Presenting Alf as the one to lead them home.
Gerrard (IRE) 9-2fav (11-4) Mid-division, headway approaching 10th, ridden 4 out, led 3 out, clear 2 out, stayed on, won at Stratford 2m 4f nov hcp chs 0-95 (5) gs in Mar beating Kinkeel (9-11) by 5l, 12 ran.
Young Dude (IRE) 8-1 (11-8) Towards rear, reminders 6th, beaten when pulled up 4 out in race won by Tank Buster (10-8) at Ludlow 3m hcp chs 0-95 (5) gs in Jan, 17 ran.
Royal China (IRE) 15-2 (10-4) Led, ridden and headed after 3 out, kept on one pace, 2nd of 7, 4l behind John Diamond (11-7) at Huntingdon 2m 4f nov hcp chs 0-105 (4) gf in Oct.
Lusaka De Pembo (FR) 5-2jt-fav (11-9) Took keen hold, held up in touch, not fluent 10th, led going well 2 out, headed just before last, found little, 2nd of 11, 10l behind Romney Marsh (10-10) at Towcester 2m 3f hcp chs 0-90 (5) gd in Mar.
Arctic Cherry (IRE) 9-1 (10-10) In touch, headway 6th, chased winner, mistake 3 out, every chance flat, not run on, 2nd of 11, 1/2l behind Swings 'n Strings (10-7) at Chepstow 2m 3f sll hcp chs 0-90 (5) gd.
Presenting Alf (IRE) 13-2 (10-13) Mid-division, headway 8th, edged right approaching last, led flat, stayed on under pressure flat, won at Worcester 2m 4f cnd hcp chs (5) gf beating Major Blade (11-11) by 2l, 14 ran.
Ballyaahbutt (IRE) 5-2jt-fav (10-13) Led to 2nd, led 4th to 5th, led 7th to 8th, ridden approaching 2 out, weakened approaching last, 4th of 11, 20l behind Romney Marsh (10-10) at Towcester 2m 3f hcp chs 0-90 (5) gd in Mar.
Carnt Spell 6-1 (10-5) In touch, chased winner 13th, ridden after 4 out, no impression, 2nd of 12, 13l behind Bronson F'sure (11-3) at Southwell 3m hcp chs 0-95 (5) gf in Mar.
