held up in rear, took keen hold, headway from 4th, led 6th, not fluent 4 out, ridden after 2 out, clear last, stayed on well
held up, not fluent 6th, headway approaching 8th, went 2nd and ridden before 3 out, edged left before 2 out, hung left and no impression flat, stayed on same pace
in rear, not fluent 5th, behind from 7th
prominent, weakened after 4 out, pulled up before next
tracked leaders, lost place 7th, weakened before 4 out
tracked leaders, not fluent 3rd, hit 8th, outpaced 4 out, weakened well before next
led until 6th, mistake 4 out, one pace in 3rd 2 out, mistake and no extra from 2 out
prominent until 2nd, tracked leaders, lost place 6th, ridden next, behind 4 out, plugged on from 2 out, went 4th flat, no impression
CHAMPAGNE PRESENT didn't build on his run in a Grade 2 at Cheltenham in November when only fourth at Ascot but this is another drop in grade for Jonjo O'Neill's charge and he'll have no excuses if beaten again here. Dan Emmett started favourite at Newcastle last month but looked very one-paced. However, the extra yardage should help and he looks a danger while The Chuckmeister will have learned plenty from his third at Taunton. The latter has more scope than Midnight Mustang and looks a better bet than Winter Walk, very disappointing at Exeter in December.
Champagne Present (IRE) 5-4fav (11-0) Held up in mid-division, headway and travelling well in 4th after 3 out, hung badly right from before 2 out, looked reluctant and well beaten when flattened the last, 4th of 9, 18l behind Desilvano (11-0) at Ascot 2m 6f NH mdn hdl (3) sft in Dec.
Dan Emmett (USA) 7-4fav (11-5) Mid-division on inside, headway chasing leaders 7th, 3rd before 3 out, kept on same pace from next, 3rd of 12, 5l behind Lovely Job (11-5) at Newcastle 2m 4f mdn hdl (4) sft in Jan.
Giveimachance (IRE) 100-1 (11-1) Mid-division, behind from 5th, tailed off and pulled up before 3 out, in a race won by John Louis (11-1) at Uttoxeter 2m cond mdn hdle (4) hvy in Jan, 10 ran.
Hinton Fairground Fair Mix gelding out of Hinton Luciana.
League Of His Own (IRE) 100-1 (10-5) Always towards rear, 11th of 13, well behind Taj Badalandabad (11-5) at Leicester 2m nh nov hdl (4) sft in Dec.
Midnight Mustang 11-8fav (9-11) Prominent, led before 3 out, headed before next, stayed on same pace, 2nd of 9, 8l behind Catchin Time (10-11) at Leicester 2m hcp hdl 0-100 (5) hvy in Jan.
The Chuckmeister (IRE) 7-2 (10-12) Chased leaders, hit 8th, challenged and went left 9th, ridden and lost 3rd after 3 out, outpaced soon after, rallied into modest 3rd post, 3rd of 7, 13l behind Rathlin Rose (10-12) at Taunton 3m mdn hdl (5) sft in Jan.
Winter Walk (IRE) 11-4 (11-0) Chased leaders, led after 2nd until next, chased leader, driven along after 4 out, lost 2nd before next, weakened, 6th of 9, 46l behind Brandon Hill (11-0) at Exeter 2m 7f mdn hdl (4) sft in Dec.
