held up last, lost touch 8th, pulled up before 9th
tracked leaders, reminders after 3rd, lost touch 7th, pulled up before 9th
prominent, went 2nd 13th, challenged, every chance 3 out, mistake 2 out, no extra
led 1st, jumped well throughout, quickened on bit approaching 4 out, ridden 3 out, headed last, rallied, led close home
prominent, ridden 13th, soon weakened, pulled up before 3 out
held up towards rear, ridden 12th, headway after 4 out, challenged 2 out, slight lead last, hard ridden, headed close home
with leader, ridden before 4 out, soon weakened
Nonrunner
First Love continues to make up for lost time and can make it three on the bounce, with Sento, Christopher, East Lawyer and Team Tassel just a few dangers in a fairly open contest. If we take First Love out of this, we are left with a very hard race to solve, but the inclusion of Nicky Henderson's 10-year-old makes it a little easier to pinpoint the winner. Highly rated a few seasons ago, he had been off the track since enduring a hard race at Perth in 2003, and after being very patiently handled, was brought back to score in hunter chase company at Sandown in February. He then lined up in the Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Memorial Hunters' Chase at the Esher track three weeks ago and came home a distance clear of his nearest rival, with Jamie Snowdon in the plate again. He remains on a mark of 114 for this venture into handicap company and appears leniently treated, so is the one to be on. Sento has been absent since landing a novices' chase at Exeter in May 2004 and has a history of minor leg problems, but if he can be kept sound is one to note for the remainder of the season. Christopher was held when falling at the last here three weeks ago and will need to jump better if he is to get those losses back. In addition he is no good thing to turn the tables on East Lawyer for an earlier defeat at the hands of that rival over the course-and-distance. Team Tassel needs to improve as do the fortunes of his stable, and so First Love would appear to have the best credentials of all.
Ghadames (FR) 7-2fav (11-1) Chased leader after 2nd, led 4th, clear after next, ridden and headed approaching last, weakened quickly, 5th of 10, 14l behind Sunisa (11-1) at Haydock 2m cnd hcp hdl 0-110 (E) sft in Dec.
Team Tassel (IRE) 12-1 (11-4) Led to ridden, headed 12th, pecked badly 3 out, one pace from 2 out, 3rd of 8, 25l behind Commercial Flyer (11-4) at Taunton 2m 7f beg chs (4) gs in Feb.
Christopher 7-4fav (11-6) Raced wide throughout, headway 4 out, every chance 2 out, one length down when fell at the last in race won by No Visibility (11-4) at Wincanton 2m 5f hcp chs 0-125 (3) sft, 8 ran.
First Love 15-8jt-fav (12-3) Made all, not fluent 4 out, in command before 2 out, clear and kept on strongly before last, driven out, won at Sandown 3m hts chs (4) sft beating Oracle des Mottes (11-7) by a distance, 6 ran.
Mark Equal 5-1 (11-5) In touch, hit 10th, ridden 5 out, weakened after 4 out and pulled up 2 out in race won by Spectrometer (11-6) at Wincanton 2m 5f hcp chs 0-130 (3) sft in Feb, 7 ran.
Wicked Nice Fella (IRE) 5-4fav (10-12) Disputed lead, hit 7th, weakened after 3 out, last of 6, well behind Migwell (10-12) at Huntingdon 2m 4f nov chs (D) gd in Dec.
East Lawyer (FR) 11-4 (11-6) Always in rear, 4th of 7, 28l behind Spectrometer (11-6) at Wincanton 2m 5f hcp chs 0-130 (3) sft in Feb.
Sento (IRE) 7-2 (11-2) Jumped well, held up in touch, smooth headway to lead 4 out, clear 2 out, easily, won at Exeter 2m 7f nov chs (E) gd in May '04 beating Lou Du Moulin Mas (11-1) by 10l, 6 ran.
