in touch, challenging when left in lead 5th, headed 8th, led after next until 2 out, regained lead after omitted last, driven out
held up, headway 3rd, weakening when mistake 12th, tailed off
always prominent, led 8th until after next, remained pressing, led 2 out, headed after omitted last, lost 2nd close home
soon led, fell 8th
slowly away, pulled hard in rear, stumbled 5th, headway 11th, hampered 3 out, went 3rd after next, hit and pecked last, ran on to take 2nd close home
held up in rear, mistake 2nd, hampered 7th, headway approaching 10th, mistake 3 out, soon ridden, weakened approaching last
held up, headway 5th, soon steadied, 8th when blundered 10th, pulled up after 3 out
prominent, challenging when bad mistake 2 out, not recover, soon weakened
chased leader until after 5th, hampered and lost place 7th, soon behind, pulled up before 13th
mid-division, hampered 7th, weakened approaching 3 out
towards rear, ridden after 8th, soon struggling
mid-division on outside, headway 7th, ridden after 12th, weakened after 2 out
Tom George's Cesium has more to do off a 9lb higher mark than when scoring at Ffos Las on his most recent start in December and a better bet looks to be MAGNETIC POLE, who gets the vote over Tuskar Rock. The Venetia Williams-trained gelding is better than he showed when pulled up at Kempton last month having run well at Southwell the previous month but there is a suspicion that he is better on faster ground and may be best watched. Neil Mulholland's Alfatrix showed his liking for testing conditions when running better at Lingfield last month but he is probably a shade high in the weights at present, while Henry Daly's Pasdelou has given little sign of encouragement so far from limited opportunities. She's Humble has run creditably in his last couple of starts and should be thereabouts again but a safer option looks to be Magnetic Pole. Richard Lee's gelding is a confirmed soft ground performer and, although having gone up in the weights for his win at Leicester on fast ground in November, he is still well treated and will relish the underfoot conditions.
King Jack 12-1 (11-12) Chased leaders, weakened after 10th, pulled up before 4 out, in a race won by Buffalo Bob (10-9) at Uttoxeter 2m 4f hcp chs 0-115 (4) hvy in Nov, 13 ran.
Viable 14-1 (10-6) Took keen hold, led, jumped violently right and bumped rival 1st, headed next, chased leader, led before 6th, headed next, chased winner until ridden and weakened before 4 out, 6th of 9, 42l behind Acordeon (10-13) at Ludlow 2m nov chs (3) sft in Dec.
Tuskar Rock (FR) 16-1 (11-9) Chased leaders on inside, ridden and weakened 13th, tailed off when pulled up 4 out, in a race won by Iconoclast (11-11) at Kempton 3m nov hcp chs 0-120 (3) sft in Jan, 8 ran.
Pasdelou (FR) 8-1 (10-12) Led, headed approaching 3 out, soon weakened, pulled up approaching 2 out, in a race won by Restless Harry (10-12) at Towcester 2m 5f NH nov hdl 4-6yo (3) hvy in Nov, 9 ran.
Mr Newton (IRE) 15-2 (11-4) In rear, stumbled on landing 5th, fell 7th, in a race won by Orana Conti (11-3) at Leicester 2m nov hcp chs 0-105 (4) gd in Dec, 10 ran.
Magnetic Pole 11-4fav (10-3) In touch, led 6th to 7th, challenge 3 out, led approaching 2 out, headed before last, no extra flat, 3rd of 13, 6l behind Russian Flag (11-5) at Warwick 2m hcp chs 0-120 (3) sft in Dec.
Call Me Sam (IRE) 33-1 (11-1) Held up in rear, ridden and struggling from 12th, pulled up before 3 out, in a race won by Shaka's Pearl (10-0) at Fontwell 2m 6f hcp chs 0-115 (4) gs in Nov, 7 ran.
Porta Vogie (IRE) 9-2fav (11-4) Close up, headway to chase leader 3 out, still challenging 2 out, weakened badly flat, in a race won by Oscar Owen (10-6) at Newbury 3m cnd nov hcp hdl (4) gd in Feb '09, 16 ran.
Alfatrix (IRE) 11-2 (10-12) In touch, hit 8th, ridden and struggling after 4 out, 5th of 7, 13l behind Noun De La Thinte (12-2) at Lingfield 2m 4f cond hcp hdl 0-105 (4) hvy in Jan.
She's Humble (IRE) 2-1fav (11-6) Tracked leaders, hard driven approaching 2 out, soon one pace, 3rd of 6, 6l behind Rince Donn (10-11) at Folkestone 2m 5yo nov hcp (4) sft in Jan.
Cesium (FR) 5-2fav (11-0) In touch, headway and challenging from 10th, pressing leaders when blundered 4 out, led narrowly between last 2, headed last, rallied towards finish, led post, won at Ffos Las 2m 3f hcp chs 0-95 (5) gs in Dec beating Rince Donn (11-5) by shd, 10 ran.
South Bank (IRE) 16-1 (11-9) Chased leaders, lost place 3 out, weakened next, 7th of 13, 30l behind Roseneath (10-13) at Huntingdon 3m 5yo nov hcp (4) sft in Jan.
