towards rear, not fluent 5th, headway into mid-division, 8th, slow jump 9th and pulled up quickly
disputed lead, not fluent and headed 5th, remained close up, hit 6th, led again before 11th, pressed 5 out, pushed along and headed 4 out, left behind by winner after 3 out, kept on one pace
mid-division, went 3rd before 9th, going well and went 2nd before 12th, pressed leader 5 out, led 4 out, shaken up and went clear after 3 out, stayed on strongly, comfortably
chased leaders, left behind by front pair 4 out, ridden before 3 out, kept on one pace
towards rear, mistake in 4th 13th, pushed along after 5 out, soon beaten and tailed off, pulled up before last
mid-division, shaken up in last after 11th, fell 12th
in rear, pushed along and outpaced after 5th, hit 6th, soon lost touch, pulled up before 12th
disputed lead, led 5th, headed before 11th, mistake 11th, losing touch and pushed along 13th, tailed off when pulled up before 4 out
Native River and the equally-evergreen Tiger Roll both ran in the Grade 1 Betway Bowl here in April but finished tailed off, though the former was third in this 12 months ago. Wishing And Hoping only won a veterans’ handicap here in October and is likely to struggle in this company while The Two Amigos needs a much stiffer test of stamina. PROTEKTORAT and Simply The Betts finished second and sixth respectively in last month’s Paddy Power at Cheltenham. They meet on the same terms here and the former may well have won had he warmed to his task a little earlier. A Grade 1 winner in novice company here in the spring, he is worth another try over this longer trip but Imperial Aura, still travelling when falling in the Betfair Chase two weeks ago, will expose any stamina limitations if he puts in a clear round.
Imperial Aura (IRE) 12-1 (11-7) Tracked leaders going ok, bad mistake and fell 13th, at Haydock 3m 2f (1) gs in Nov.
Native River (IRE) 4-1 (11-7) Tried to be prominent but ridden along and unable to hold place, closed after 3rd, reminder after 4th, not fluent 9th, left 2nd 12th until 4 out, weakened but went 3rd 2 out, 3rd of 9, dist behind Clan Des Obeaux (11-7) at Aintree 3m 1f (1) gs in Apr.
Protektorat (FR) 11-2fav (11-12) Mid-division on inside, bad mistake 5th, headway chased leaders 2 out, hung left under pressure and went 2nd run-in, closed on idling winner, just held, 2nd of 19, 3/4l behind Midnight Shadow (11-5) at Cheltenham 2m 4f hcp (1) gd in Nov.
Sam Brown 7-1 (11-10) Soon close up and disputed lead, lost position and slight mistake 3 out, soon one pace, 7th of 20, 11l behind Brahma Bull (11-10) at Punchestown 3m 1f hcp Good - Yielding in May.
Simply The Betts (IRE) 20-1 (11-12) Led until 2nd, chased leader until before 8th, chased leaders, left in 2nd 2 out, well held when bad mistake last, weakened run-in, 6th of 19, 5 1/2l behind Midnight Shadow (11-5) at Cheltenham 2m 4f hcp (1) gd in Nov.
The Two Amigos 9-1 (11-2) Made a lot of the running until 4 out, weakened flat, 8th of 20, 7 1/2l behind Time To Get Up (10-10) at Uttoxeter 4m 2f hcp lst (1) gs in Mar.
Tiger Roll (IRE) 8-1 (11-7) Prominent, mistake 3rd, losing place from next, not fluent 8th, behind from 12th, left 4th 2 out, 4th of 9, dist behind Clan Des Obeaux (11-7) at Aintree 3m 1f (1) gs in Apr.
Wishing And Hoping (IRE) 11-4 (11-2) Led before 2nd, drew clear before jumped left and not fluent last, stayed on well, won at Aintree 3m 1f hcp (2) gd in Oct beating Rolling Dylan (10-8) by 8 1/2l, 7 ran.
