slithered badly on landing 1st, last after, mistake 3rd, lost touch 7th, pulled up before 9th
held up in touch on outside, closed 4th, led 13th, headed approaching last, one pace and no impression flat
prominent, went 2nd 6th, hit 9th, 12th and 13th, no extra 2 out, weakened into 4th before last
tracked leaders on inside, not fluent 8th or 11th, hit 12th, not much room 13th, went 2nd 15th, not fluent 3 out, led approaching last, stayed on well
led, hit 4th and 9th, not fluent 11th, mistake 12th, headed next, outpaced before 4 out, well held after, went 3rd before last
tracked leader, not fluent 4th or 5th, lost 2nd next, in touch when blundered and unseated rider 12th
Our Mick appears to have lost his way and has a bit to find with the remainder at the weights but only 7lb separates the others on official ratings. Wayward Prince won this last year and appears primed for a repeat having finished more than four lengths ahead of Unioniste when runner-up to Harry Topper in the Charlie Hall at Wetherby. But he has to give a massive 10lb to THE GIANT BOLSTER, who need only to run to something approaching his best to come out on top. He was always trailing in the Betfair Chase at Haydock on his reappearance but that was a race that featured the best staying chasers in the country and he's unlikely to be run off his feet in the same manner here. Katenko hasn't had much time to recover from a fall in the Hennessy last week while Wishfull Thinking is trying this longer trip for the first time on the eve of his 11th birthday.
Wayward Prince 50-1 (11-10) Tracked leaders, challenged 4 out, soon led, not fluent and headed 2 out, stayed on, just held, 2nd of 7, nk behind Harry Topper (11-6) at Wetherby 3m 1f chs Grd 2 (1) gs in Nov.
Wishfull Thinking 33-1 (11-7) Tracked leaders, outpaced before 3 out, no impression from next, 6th of 20, 13l behind Johns Spirit (10-2) at Cheltenham 2m 4f Grade 3 hcp chs (4yo+) (1) gd in Nov.
Katenko (FR) 20-1 (11-11) Chasing leaders when fell 14th, in a race won by Triolo D'Alene (11-1) at Newbury 3m 2f Grade 3 hcp chs (4yo+) (1) gd in Nov, 21 ran.
Unioniste (FR) 13-2 (11-6) Tracked leader until before 2nd, in touch, niggled along before 5 out, challenged 4 out, mistake 3 out, every chance when not fluent last, no extra flat, 3rd of 7, 4 1/2l behind Harry Topper (11-6) at Wetherby 3m 1f chs Grd 2 (1) gs in Nov.
Our Mick 4-1 (11-9) Chased leaders, not fluent 3rd, soon in rear, hit 5th, pushed along 7th, reminders before 11th, tailed off and pulled up before 5 out, in a race won by Midnight Appeal (10-10) at Bangor 3m hcp chs 0-150 (2) hvy in Nov, 9 ran.
The Giant Bolster 28-1 (11-7) Held up in rear, pushed along halfway, never a factor, 7th of 8, 44l behind Cue Card (11-7) at Haydock 3m 1f chs G1 (1) sft in Nov.
