HUNTINGDON (26 Jan 2005)

Good

2:55 Letheby & Christopher Novices' Chase (Class C) (5yo+)

[off 2:56] £8,043.75, £2,475.00, £1,237.50, £618.75 12 fences (2m110y) 2m½f

Comments In Running OR TS RPR

1 Almaydan R Lee 7 11-12 R Thornton 5/6F 93 133+

2 7 Big Rob (IRE) B G Powell 6 11-12 J Tizzard 2/1 121 85 123+

3 3½ Dabus M C Chapman 10 10-13 A C Coyle(3) 40/1 102 70 107

4 3 Mister Mustard (IRE) Ian Williams 8 11-2 D R Dennis 6/1 67 106+

F Do Keep Up J R Weymes 8 10-9 M Nicolls(7) 300/1 78 — —

PU Monksford B J Llewellyn 6 11-2 O McPhail 33/1 — —

6 ran TIME 4m 11.60s (slow by 13.60s) TOTAL SP 107%

1st OWNER: George Brookes & Family BRED: Shadwell Estate Company Limited TRAINER: R Lee

2nd OWNER: P H Betts

3rd OWNER: J C Greenway

TOTE WIN £1.90 PL £1.10, £1.60; Ex £2.70; CSF £2.68

ANALYSIS: A good novice with ALMAYDAN completing his Cheltenham Festival preparation in style. He has been entered in both the Arkle and the Grand Annual, although he does not have an official mark over fences yet.

Everything about him suggests he can be better over fences than his good 135 hurdle rating and trainer Richard Lee has never hidden his high regard for the gelding.

Almaydan bounded away from three good rivals from the second-last. He jumps low and fast and only had to be nudged out to win with plenty in hand.

Big Rob did not jump well early in the lead and was lucky to survive after a bad misjudgement at the open ditch in front of the stands. He may have lost his unbeaten start over fences but lost nothing in defeat.

Dabus has run another blinder. He is not overbig but most athletic and enthusiastic, very reminiscent of his late lamented stablemate Ei Ei. He did not take the big guns on for the lead where he usually races but mixed it with them off the home bend, and in beating Mister Mustard achieved even more than his good run against Emperors Guest last week.