chased leaders, pushed along and lost place 5th, pulled up after next
took keen hold in rear, weakened 3 out, mistake 2 out, pulled up before last
towards rear, pushed along 4th, lost touch approaching 6th, tailed off
held up, not fluent 1st or 2nd, headway 5th, challenged after 3 out, soon involved in bumping match with rival, led last, headed towards finish
chased leaders, went 2nd after 6th, led approaching 3 out, involved in bumping match with rival soon after, headed last, held towards finish
tracked leader until after 6th, ran wide and weakened approaching 3 out, pulled up before 2 out
led until approaching 3 out, soon weakened, tailed off
mid-division, mistake and lost place 6th, headway approaching 2 out, stayed on well to lead towards finish
held up in rear, headway after 6th, weakened last
chased leaders, not much room when mistake 3 out, lost momentum, closed approaching last, no impression
towards rear, mistake 1st, headway 6th, not fluent 2 out, lost action and pulled up before last, dismounted
Apache Dawn deserves to get his head in front following some decent placed efforts but he looks booked for a place at best again and in a tough looking opener to the card what can only be a tentative vote goes to BACK TO PARIS. The eight-year-old has his first start over hurdles for Phil Kirby but did show some ability over timber in Ireland and has run some reasonable races on the level of late so he may be worth chancing. Blackstone Vegas has similarly not been seen over hurdles for some time and could be of interest but he needs to improve on recent flat form to take a hand and of more interest may be recent course and distance winner Maizy Missile, who should run her usual good race.
Apache Dawn 6-1 (10-0) Led after 2nd until 5th, led after 6th until next, led after 8th until 3 out, well held in 5th approaching last, 5th of 6, 14l behind Two Miles West (11-5) at Cartmel 2m 6f hcp hdl 0-125 (3) gd in Aug.
Back To Paris (IRE) 10-1 (10-5) Soon 2nd, weakened after 4 out, towards rear when fell last, in a race won by Carpet Ride (9-6) at Cork 2m hcp hdl 0-109 std in Sep '07, 22 ran.
He's A Sheila 66-1 (10-13) Held up towards rear, weakened from 6th, 8th of 11, well behind Miss Molly Be Rude (10-0) at Bangor 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-100 (4) gd in Jul.
Blackstone Vegas 12-1 (10-12) Tracked leader, ridden after 3 out, soon lost place, weakened last, 12th of 15, 43l behind Knock Three Times (10-2) at Kelso 2m 3yo nov hdl (4) gd in Oct.
Bocciani (GER) 10-1 (11-2) Chased leaders, jumped slowly 3rd, soon given reminders and came through to lead, ridden and headed when hit 2 out, weakened last, 4th of 10, 11l behind Zahara Joy (10-7) at Sedgefield 2m 1f hcp hdl 0-95 (5) gd.
Laureus (GER) 25-1 (10-12) Rear of mid-division, weakened from 5 out, 15th of 18, 35l behind Skip Two (11-7) at Clonmel 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-95 gd in Sep '07.
Colliers Court 6-1 (10-9) Led, hit 1st, jumped right 3rd, headed 5th, chased leader until weakened rapidly and in rear 7th, tailed off when pulled up 4 out, in a race won by Cortinas (11-10) at Southwell 2m hcp chs 0-115 (4) gf in Nov, 5 ran.
Aughcarra (IRE) 100-1 (10-12) Jumped right 1st, in touch, towards rear when hampered 3rd, weakened 3 out, 9th of 13, well behind Mauritino (11-4) at Hereford 2m 1f nov hcp hdl 0-95 (5) gf in Jun.
Art Value 14-1 (11-3) Close up early, lost place from 3rd, weakened and pulled up before 5 out, in a race won by Hidden Crack (11-7) at Clonmel 2m hcp hdl 80-95 in Feb, 18 ran.
Cloonavery (IRE) 7-1 (9-11) Held up towards rear, not fluent 1st, fell 4th, in a race won by Stafford Charlie (9-12) at Stratford 2m 6f sell hcp hdl 0-95 (5) gf, 13 ran.
Babe Maccool (IRE) 20-1 (10-6) Chased leaders, ridden 3 out, weakened next, pulled up soon after, 10th of 14, 29l behind Robbmaa (9-13) at Worcester 2m sell hcp hdl 0-85 (5) gd in Aug.
Maizy Missile (IRE) 6-1 (11-7) Led 2nd, soon headed, left in lead bend after 4th, headed approaching 2 out, beaten when not fluent last, 2nd of 9, 9l behind Chestnut Ben (9-9) at Newton Abbot 2m 1f nov hcp hdl 0-90 (5) sft.