Winner of eight hurdles races and three chase contests when trained by Charlie Longsdon. Poor reappearance last month at Doncaster in first hunter chase / bow for new yard. Work to be done.
Point-to-point winner on soft ground at Tinahely in January but beaten twice in that sphere since and pulled up in Kim Muir at Cheltenham (100/1 chance). This is a more realistic goal.
Winner over fences at Stratford in August, recent point-to-point win will leave him ripe for this and as likely as any on first rules start for this handler.
Ex-Paul Nicholls made his mark in this sphere for new trainer last season, making it a double with ready success in this contest. On the mark twice in point-to-points lately and much respected going after this prize again.
Multiple winner of point-to-points over 3m but invariably on better ground. Won in this sphere at Stratford last June but was pulled-up in testing conditions when returning at Leicester recently. Ground a concern here.
Lightly-raced five-year-old with little in the way of solid form. Beaten 40L in 2m hunter chase at Leicester (heavy) 16 days ago. Longer trip a plus, but hard to forecast a prominent role.
Not a lot of miles on the clock for a nine-year-old, back from long absence (646 days) when second in 2m5f heavy-ground hunter chase at Ffos Las 35 days ago. Capable of having a say if able to reproduce that form.
Useful on his day but disappointed in a hunter chases at Fontwell (2m5f, soft) last May and again at Lingfield last month (also poor in point-to-point between times). Appears up against it on those efforts.
Result Amended
Aero Majestic - Original Position 6th. Amended Position 7th.
Hazy Tom - Original Position 7th. Amended Position 6th.
Last year's winner MONSIEUR GIBRALTAR and Midnight Cowboy come here with winning point-to-point form and preference is for the first-named. He was a ready winner of this a year ago and has had an ideal preparation for his defence. Midnight Cowboy was a winner over regulation fences at Stratford in August and isn't likely to go down without a fight. Marinero and Deadly Sting look the best-placed of the remainder.