held up in rear, headway 3 out, ridden and weakened before last
tracked leaders, weakened after 3 out
tracked leaders in 3rd place, lost place before 5th, soon in rear and struggling
led to 5th, led again before 4 out, ridden before 2 out, kept on well towards finish, driven out
held up mid-division, pushed along and weakened after 3 out
took strong hold towards rear, soon tracked leaders, led from 5th until before 4 out, chased winner, ridden and one pace run-in
held up towards rear, reminders before 3 out, soon weakened
held up towards rear, mistake 4 out, headway after 3 out, went 3rd before last, one pace
THOUNDER has to concede a stone all round which is quite a task for a juvenile hurdler but he still looks the one to beat, especially with Gary Moore choosing to employ the services of the stable conditional to dramatically offset his burden. The French import impressed last time at Wincanton and it will take a smart one to lower his colours on ground upon which he is proven. Fields Of Fortune and Lisp represent Alan King and both have shown enough on the Flat to be of interest and are preferred in that order as the former was staying on nicely enough when capsizing late on when making his hurdling debut. However, Jukebox Jive was a pretty useful performer on the level and rates the main danger if taking to this new discipline for the Honeyball team.
Thounder (FR) 15-8fav (11-4) Held up in rear, headway 3 out, ridden to challenge 2 out, led before last, kept on well, won at Wincanton 1m 7f (4) gd in Oct beating Black Prince (10-12) by 5l, 11 ran.
Acaro (FR) (9-2) 7th of 10, 8 1/4l behind Marano (9-2) at Clairefontaine 1m 4f stks gd in Jun.
Cloud Hopper (IRE) 100-1 (10-12) Mid-division, stayed on after 2 out, never dangerous, 8th of 11, dist behind Thounder (11-4) at Wincanton 1m 7f (4) gd in Oct.
Jukebox Jive (FR) 16-1 (8-7) Tracked leaders, 2nd 6f out, led over 4f out, headed over 2f out, stayed on same pace final furlong, 4th of 10, 5 1/2l behind Face The Facts (8-7) at Newmarket 2m lst stks (1) gs in Sep.
Ladofash 40-1 (10-12) Mid-division, 5th 2 out, mistake last, went 3rd flat, no impression, 3rd of 9, 18l behind Sussex Ranger (10-12) at Fontwell 2m 2f (4) gd in Oct.
Lisp (IRE) 33-1 (8-13) Always towards rear, never a factor, 11th of 14, 17 1/2l behind Silken Dancer (8-13) at Windsor 1m 2f mdn stks (5) gf in May.
Master Billie (IRE) 100-1 (10-12) Always towards rear, weakened from 3 out, tailed off, 5th of 6, dist behind Risk And Roll (10-12) at Kempton 2m (3) gd in Oct.
Quothquan (FR) 9-1 (8-10) Held up tracking leading trio, pushed along over 3f out, ridden 2f out, plugged on in 3rd inside final furlong, 3rd of 6, 1 1/4l behind Al Hamdany (9-7) at Kempton 1m 4f hcp (3) pol in Nov.
Fields Of Fortune 5-1 (10-12) Mid-division, tracked leaders 3 out, one pace next, 4th and held when blundered and unseated rider last, at Warwick 2m (4) gs in Nov.
