led until after 1st, prominent until weakened approaching 5th, tailed off
mid-division, headway when not fluent 5th, ridden approaching 2 out, disputing 3 lengths 3rd when fell last
keen early, chased leader, went 2nd 4th, led approaching 2 out, ridden 1 length clear flat, all out
held up towards rear, headway after 5th, challenged 2 out, one pace last
held up in rear, hampered bend after 3rd, ridden after 5th, not fluent 3 out, never troubled leaders
chased leaders, weakened after 3 out, tailed off
held up in last, tailed off 5th
mid-division, raced keenly, headway after 5th, beaten 2 out
held up in rear, not fluent 1st, struggling after 5th, tailed off
prominent, raced keenly, ridden and weakened 5th, tailed off
took keen hold, led after 1st, hit 5th, headed approaching 2 out, beaten when hampered 2 out
mid-division, slipped on bend after 3rd, behind next, tailed off
mid-division, headway 5th, challenged 2 out, soon ridden, switched right flat, ran on towards finish
Alan King's Mount Helicon is potentially well treated on his handicap hurdle bow, the same could be said for Geoffdaw, however we already know that NAUTICAL APPROACH is off a fair rating and that's where we take our chance. After only finding a well handicapped runner too good when two pounds better off last time the selection looked deserving off his handicap rise. He's improved in two starts this season and is still unexposed enough to show us further progression. Mount Helicon wasn't beaten far by an animal on his last start, who has since placed off a mark of 122. Given that form-line Alan King's charge could be light rated at 110 and a big run is expected. Geoffdaw is in a similar boat to the one we¿ve just mentioned but doesn't look quite as well weighted and Novikov is another handicap debutant that should go well after a couple of pipe-openers on the level. This could be about the newcomers to these ranks but we'll side with handicap experience and Nautical Approach.
Slavonic Lake 40-1 (10-4) Always prominent, challenged 5th, led before 3 out, drew clear after next, stayed on well, won at Wetherby 2m hcp hdl 0-115 (4) gs in Dec '07 beating Stellenbosch (11-2) by 5l, 15 ran.
Laureate des Loges (FR) 9-2 (11-3) Pulled hard, held up, blundered 3rd, headway after 5th, hung left from after 3 out, not clear run and switch left approaching 2 out, went 3rd soon after 2 out, stayed on flat, 3rd of 9, 2 3/4l behind Calusa Crystal (12-0) at Towcester 2m mrs nov hdl (4) gd in Apr.
Viable 16-1 (11-12) In touch, ridden after 3 out, beaten 2 out, weakened, 8th of 14, 20l behind Akram (11-6) at Kempton 2m cond hcp hdl 0-1115 (4) gd.
Mount Helicon 9-4 (10-7) Held up, headway 4th, led after 3 out, headed approaching last, stayed on same pace flat, 2nd of 8, 3 1/2l behind Hot Diamond (11-1) at Huntingdon 2m mdn hdl (5) gd in Mar.
Geoffdaw 20-1 (11-0) Tracked leaders, blundered 3 out, one pace from next, 3rd of 11, 6l behind Champtho (11-0) at Plumpton 2m mdn hdl (4) gd.
A Haon A Do (IRE) 5-1 (10-7) Raced keenly, led until 3rd, led approaching 4th until 5th, lost 2nd and weakened approaching 3 out, pulled up before last, in a race won by Gilwen Glory (10-10) at Exeter 2m 3f mrs nov hdl (4) sft, 11 ran.
Stuff Of Dreams 8-1 (10-5) Held up, weakened 3 out, 5th of 7, 50l behind Le Platino (10-12) at Haydock 2m 4f nov hdl (4) hvy.
Novikov 4-7fav (11-2) Close up on outer, challenged from 3 out, upsides 2 out, still every chance when hit last, no extra flat, 3rd of 10, 7l behind Intac (11-2) at Plumpton 2m mdn hdl (5) sft in Feb.
Owen's Sedge (IRE) 5-1fav (10-12) Held up in rear, headway last, soon ridden, weakened over 2f out, 9th of 17, 21l behind Equity Release (10-9) at Uttoxeter 2m sll hdl (4-8yo) (5) gd in Sep.
Nautical Approach (IRE) 7-1 (11-8) Held up in rear, headway 6th, strong challenge 2 out, no extra flat, 2nd of 13, 8l behind Tarkani (11-5) at Worcester 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-105 (4) gs in Oct.
Murphy (IRE) 9-1 (10-13) Held up in rear, hampered 2nd, headway after 3 out, edged right and beaten 2 out, soon eased, 11th of 14, 35l behind Akram (11-6) at Kempton 2m cond hcp hdl 0-1115 (4) gd.
Amouretta 40-1 (10-13) Hampered and fell 1st, in a race won by Santera (11-3) at Fakenham 2m 4f mrs hcp hdl (0-105) (4) gf in May, 12 ran.
Crosby Jemma 22-1 (9-9) Chased leaders, ridden approaching 3 out, soon weakened, 6th of 11, 24l behind Hunting Tower (11-4) at Wetherby 2m hcp hdl 0-125 (3) gd in Oct.
