tracked leaders, blundered badly and well recovered 4th, 2nd after 3 out, kept on under pressure
held up, headway 5 out, weakened after 3 out
chased leaders, mistake 7th, led before 3 out, not fluent last, ran on
held up in rear, beaten 5 out, tailed off
led after 1st, joined 6 out, headed before 3 out, kept on same pace
led until after 1st, remained prominent, joined leader 6 out, weakened after 3 out, behind when pulled up before next
held up in rear, mistakes 1st and 5 out, headway next, weakened 2 out, modest 4th
held up, mistakes 1st and 3rd, weakened 5 out, tailed off
mid-division, mistake 7th, beaten 5 out
Baddesley Knight showed some promise when runner-up at Market Rasen on his chasing debut but Musical Slave struggled at Plumpton on his first start over fences having landed a hat-trick over timber before that. Locker Room Talk should improve from last month’s chasing bow at Fakenham but was well beaten over hurdles earlier by TIFFIN TOP. The latter has subsequently finished a close-up third at Kempton on his debut over the larger obstacles and Alan King’s charge gets the vote. Moonlighter was in the lead when falling at Exeter on his chasing debut and is preferred to Buck's Bin's of the remainder.
Moonlighter 3-1 (11-2) Jumped left, led, 2 lengths ahead when blundered and unseated rider 3 out, at Exeter 2m 1f (3) gd in Oct.
Esprit De Somoza (FR) 16-1 (11-1) Chased leaders, not fluent 7th, outpaced 4 out, well held 3rd from next, awkward last, 3rd of 5, 17l behind Maire Banrigh (10-13) at Warwick 2m (3) gs in Nov.
Baddesley Knight (IRE) 14-1 (11-2) Chased leaders, led 4 out, challenged next, headed when mistake 2 out, no extra flat, 2nd of 5, 7l behind Rouge Vif (11-2) at Market Rasen 2m 1f (3) gs in Oct.
Musical Slave (IRE) 4-1 (11-4) Held up in rear on outside, well beaten from 10th, 5th of 7, dist behind Legal Eyes (10-11) at Plumpton 2m 4f hcp (3) sft in Oct.
Locker Room Talk (IRE) 12-1 (11-2) Keen led, clear 2nd, jumped right next, headed 4 out, chased winner, ridden 2 out, not fluent last, lost 2nd final strides, 3rd of 5, 10 1/4l behind Nube Negra (11-7) at Fakenham 2m (3) gd in Oct.
Buck's Bin's (FR) 3-1 (10-12) Tracked leaders, challenged before 2 out, ridden and one pace between last 2, well held in 3rd from last, 3rd of 6, 8l behind Longhouse Sale (11-4) at Warwick 2m (4) gd in May.
Rough Night (IRE) 7-1 (11-9) Chased leaders, tracked leader after 2nd, led 3 out, joined next, ridden and headed before last, stayed on same pace, lost 2nd towards finish, 3rd of 12, 4l behind Not Never (11-12) at Fontwell 2m 3f hcp (3) gs in Jan.
Tiffin Top 14-1 (11-5) Held up mid-division, tracked leaders 4 out, driven to chase front pair after next, ridden and one pace after 2 out, stayed on towards finish, 3rd of 9, 1 1/2l behind Celtic Joy (11-7) at Kempton 2m 2f hcp (4) gd in Oct.
Sparkleandshine (IRE) 14-1 (10-0) Held up mid-division, behind from 4th, 12th of 15, 22 1/4l behind Gumball (11-6) at Ascot 2m hcp lst (1) gs in Nov.
