held up, modest 5th after 12th, well beaten 4 out
chased leaders, 3rd from 4 out, stayed on to take 2nd last, no impression on winner
with leader, led 4th, clear 2 out, stayed on well
led until 4th, prominent, no impression on winner and mistake 2 out, lost 2nd last
tracked leaders, 2nd 13th until before 4 out, no extra 3 out
in rear, not always fluent, mistake 1st, fell 11th
held up, not fluent 1st, behind 8th
Pilgrims Bay should make a bold bid to follow up his victory in a novices’ handicap at Sandown as that was his debut over the larger obstacles. The once-useful Lyvius didn’t run badly on his return to action at Newcastle and Gordon Elliott has sent September’s Perth winner Mountain King over on another raid with decent claims. BLAKEMOUNT has won here over hurdles and opened his account over fences at Carlisle in March. He’s not run badly in two starts this season and may now be ready to strike again. Hollywoodien and Rathlin look the pick of the remainder as Astracad, though not badly treated, is just too inconsistent to recommend.
Mountain King 25-1 (10-9) Rear of mid-division, no impression after 4 out, kept on same pace straight, 11th of 25, 30 3/4l behind Empire Of Dirt (11-8) at Navan 3m hcp Yielding - Soft in Nov.
Astracad (FR) 12-1 (10-11) Chased leaders until mistake 5th, blundered badly 11th (foinavon), well beaten from 4 out, 9th of 17, dist behind As De Mee (11-0) at Aintree 2m 5f hcp (2) gs in Dec.
Hollywoodien (FR) 20-1 (11-7) With leader, led 7 out, headed 5 out, outpaced from 4 out, last of 4, 27 1/2l behind Cloudy Dream (10-10) at Haydock 2m (2) sft in Nov.
Blakemount (IRE) 5-1 (11-5) Mid-division, ridden before 2 out, no impression, 5th of 11, 12 1/2l behind No Duffer (11-10) at Doncaster 3m hcp (2) gd in Dec.
Rathlin 10-1 (11-10) Led, headed before 4 out, weakened before 3 out, 4th of 5, 19 1/4l behind Apterix (11-12) at Wetherby 1m 7f hcp (3) gs in Dec.
Pilgrims Bay (IRE) 9-1 (11-7) Pecked 1st, held up in 5th, smooth headway travelling well approaching 3 out, 2nd next, challenged last, led narrowly run-in, soon hung badly left, just held on, won at Sandown 2m 4f hcp (3) gd in Dec beating Antartica De Thaix (11-8) by hd, 7 ran.
Lyvius 50-1 (10-13) Not fluent 1st, held up, in last pair, left in 4th place 4th until dropped to 5th approaching 8th, 4th again next, pushed along and outpaced approaching 3 out, 4th of 6, 26 1/4l behind Waiting Patiently (11-5) at Newcastle 2m (3) sft in Dec.
Notnowsam 66-1 (10-12) Towards rear, mistake 6th, weakened from 7th, 7th of 8, dist behind Kalane (11-5) at Doncaster 2m 3f hcp (3) gd in Dec.
