led, headed 3 out, soon ridden, kept on same pace, under pressure from next, no chance with winner
held up, hit 5th, headway next, outpaced when mistakes 4 out, weakened and pulled up before next
mid-division, outpaced 6th, behind from 3 out
tracked leaders, went 2nd 5th, outpaced 3 out, soon ridden and no impression
chased leader to 5th, outpaced 4 out, weakened after next
mid-division, reminders 2nd, lost place 6th, tailed off and pulled up before 3 out
held up in rear, headway on inside approaching 4 out, led next, ridden clear approaching last easily
Titian Flame, Boris The Spider and Ross Comm look to be the leading lights here and the vote is given to Titian Flame. The selection won on heavy ground at Leicester back in January and although he has failed to reproduce that form, we are prepared to give him one more chance today. Boris The Spider is the obvious danger as he will handle the ground and he did win well last time out at Ayr when beating Bollin Thomas. However, he is unproven over this trip and for that reason we will take him on. Ross Comm returns to hurdling after a run over fences at Newbury last time when he fell. He will handle this testing ground but his best form is over the bigger obstacles. Kempski has been in fair form and is another with place prospects, but for the winner we are happy to return to Titian Flame.
Stormy Lord (IRE) 6-1 (11-7) Led, headed 4 out, chased winner to next, weakened from 2 out, 4th of 7, 29l behind Supreme Leisure (11-3) at Wetherby 2m hcp hdl 0-125 (3) hvy in Jan.
Boris The Spider 4-1 (11-7) Held up, chased leaders after 3 out, ridden to lead last, driven out, won at Ayr 2m nov hcp hdl 0-105 (4) sft beating Bollin Thomas (11-12) by 3/4l, 8 ran.
Titian Flame (IRE) 9-2 (10-2) Led until after 2nd, chased winner, ridden and outpaced after 3 out, stayed on again to take 4th flat, 4th of 7, 13l behind Amanpuri (10-11) at Fontwell 2m 2f hcp hdl 0-120 (3) hvy in Feb.
Ross Comm 25-1 (10-10) Chased leaders until unseated rider at the 16th in race won by Trabolgan (11-12) at Newbury 3m 2f hcp chs Grd 3 (A) gd in Nov, 19 ran.
Crackleando 33-1 (9-11) Led, headed after 4 out, outpaced from next, left 3rd last, kept on, 3rd of 9, 9l behind First Look (11-0) at Ayr 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-125 (3) sft.
Kidithou (FR) 5-1fav (11-7) Close 2nd in chasing group when blundered and unseated rider 5 out in race won by Prince Adjal (11-1) at Ayr 3m cnd hcp hdl 0-95 (5) sft, 13 ran.
Kempski 9-2 (11-1) Held up in touch, outpaced after 4th, behind from next, stayed on to chase leading pair from 2 out, no impression, 3rd of 7, 17l behind Silken Pearls (11-11) at Carlisle 2m 4f cnd hcp hdl 0-110 (4) hvy.
Silver Sedge (IRE) 3-1 (11-9) Held up, headway 7th, chased winner 3 out, every chance when blundered badly next, not recover and virtually pulled up flat, last of 5, well behind Oliverjohn (11-0) at Wetherby 2m nov hcp chs 0-110 (4) hvy in Jan.
