held up in rear, headway 8th, chasing leaders soon after, beaten when hit 3 out, soon weakened
chased leaders, mistake 1st, hit 4th, ridden after 3 out, one pace and no impression from next
held up, blundered badly 2nd and rider lost irons briefly, behind after until headway from 4 out, chased winner 2 out, stayed on, no impression
refused to race
in touch, jumped slowly 3rd, hit 6th and 8th, chased winner after 4 out until 2 out, soon beaten, no extra last
held up towards rear, headway into 5th when fell 8th
led until hit 1st, led next, hit 8th, soon headed, disputing 2nd when fell 4 out
tracked leaders, lost place approaching 6th, behind when badly hampered 8th, slightly hampered 4 out, stayed on from 2 out, went 3rd flat, finished well
chased leaders until jumped slowly and lost place 2nd, headway from 4 out, went 3rd 2 out, one pace and no impression on leaders before last, demoted to 4th flat
tracked leaders, went 2nd 5th, led after 8th, in command from 3 out, stayed on well
with leader, led after 1st until hit next, not fluent 3rd, not fluent and lost 2nd 5th, soon struggling, behind when mistake 8th
held up in mid-division, headway approaching 6th, chased winner briefly 4 out, weakened 2 out
held up in rear, mistake 1st, soon behind, reminders after 4th, not fluent 6th, no chance from 8th
Woolcombe Folly's presence means half of the field are out of the handicap and Paul Nicholls' charge is the obvious class-act of the line-up though he'll need to bounce back after a very disappointing run in the Queen Mother Champion Chase. He probably wasn't at his best that day but the champion trainer is also represented by TCHICO POLOS, who gets the vote under Ruby Walsh. The Grade 2 Haldon Gold Cup winner hasn't quite managed to improve on that performance but had subsequent Grand Annual winner Oiseau De Nuit behind in the Game Spirit at Newbury and can beat Colin Tizzard's charge again. Chaninbar was a big-priced winner of this a year ago but pulled up behind the selection at Exeter and refused to take part in the Grand Annual when Leo's Lucky Star ran very well to finish third.
Woolcombe Folly (IRE) 7-1 (11-10) Mid-division on inside, lost place after 4 out, headway under pressure after next, 7 lengths down in 9th when mistake 2 out, soon weakened, 10th of 11, 32l behind Sizing Europe (11-10) at Cheltenham 2m chs G1 (1) gd in Mar.
Tchico Polos (FR) 5-2fav (11-6) Tracked leaders, challenged 5 out, every chance when not fluent 2 out, soon ridden, kept on same pace approaching last, no impression flat, 2nd of 7, 6l behind French Opera (11-5) at Newbury 2m 1f chs Grd 2 (1) gs in Feb.
Oiseau de Nuit (FR) 40-1 (10-13) Tracked leaders, headway 3 out, led next, ridden last, stayed on well flat, won at Cheltenham 2m hcp chs G3 (1) gd in Mar beating Askthemaster (10-8) by 3 1/2l, 23 ran.
Chaninbar (FR) 100-1 (11-12) Refused to race, in a race won by Oiseau de Nuit (10-13) at Cheltenham 2m hcp chs G3 (1) gd in Mar, 23 ran.
Safari Journey (USA) 9-1 (11-2) Mistake 1st, soon mid-division, lost place when mistake 5 out, behind when blundered 3 out, 9th of 13, 40l behind Woolcombe Folly (11-7) at Cheltenham 2m hcp chs (2) gs in Dec.
Leo's Lucky Star (USA) 20-1 (10-11) Behind, headway on inside approaching 3 out, switched outside to chase leaders before next, soon ridden, stayed on to go 3rd at last, no impression, 3rd of 23, 6l behind Oiseau de Nuit (10-13) at Cheltenham 2m hcp chs G3 (1) gd in Mar.
Sports Line (IRE) 28-1 (11-6) Always behind, 17th of 23, 46l behind Oiseau de Nuit (10-13) at Cheltenham 2m hcp chs G3 (1) gd in Mar.
I'm Delilah 11-2fav (11-7) Led to 5th, tracked leader, ridden before 2 out, every chance before last, kept on and held towards finish, 2nd of 11, nk behind Elite Land (10-9) at Doncaster 2m hcp chs 0-145 (2) gd in Mar.
Mamlook (IRE) 7-2 (11-1) Chased leader, not fluent 7th, closed before 3 out, challenged 2 out, led between last 2, stayed on well flat, always holding on, won at Sandown 2m nov chs (3) gd in Mar beating Gandalfe (10-5) by nk, 4 ran.
Silk Drum (IRE) 11-2fav (11-6) Chased leaders and keen, ridden before 2 out, weakened before last, 5th of 11, 20l behind Elite Land (10-9) at Doncaster 2m hcp chs 0-145 (2) gd in Mar.
Enlightenment (IRE) 14-1 (11-7) Held up, ridden after 5th, behind from 7th, tailed off, 8th of 9, 50l behind Grand Lahou (11-2) at Hereford 2m 3f hcp chs 0-135 (3) sft in Jan.
Pepsyrock (FR) 4-1fav (10-10) Held up towards rear, went 2nd 4 out, weakening when hit 2 out, 5th of 7, 29l behind Noble Request (10-6) at Ayr 2m hcp chs (2) gd in Apr '10.
Beggars Cap (IRE) 28-1 (10-2) Chased leasders on inside, 7th and in touch when blundered and unseated rider 5 out, in a race won by Oiseau de Nuit (10-13) at Cheltenham 2m hcp chs G3 (1) gd in Mar, 23 ran.
