Soft ground after 4mm of rain just before racing and conditions were quite testing, with weight carrying no easy task - bottom weights were seemingly favoured through the night.

Only a few to concentrate on in this uncompetitive novice handicap hurdleand though they did not go a great pace, the field was well strung out at the finish. Winning chaser OPTIMISTIC HARRY had been sidelined for ten months with a reported hind-leg injury and was being pushed along in rear some way out here, but he picked up well in the latter half of the race to lead after the last and score with authority. It takes some doing here to come from off the pace and score in the fashion he did and he could well go in again in modest company before being switched back to fences.

True Temper is another whohas given the handicapper every chance to discover how good she is and this creditable effort, leading until after four out, bears out the belief she is just a modest hurdler.

Miss Muscat showed she has a little ability but was running off a lowlymark in this modest contest. The rest were well held, with Lampion du Bost's recent improvement coming to a halt as he was one of the first beaten and top-weight Fakima never really going in the first-time blinkers.

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