held up towards rear, headway on inside 2 out, hit 2 out, challenging when mistake last, soon led, ridden out
held up in rear, not fluent 2nd, outpaced from 7th, well beaten 3 out
held up in rear, pushed along 3 out, switched left before 2 out, never in contention, kept on flat, went 5th last strides
tracked leaders on inside, raced keenly, left challenging 7th, led next, bumped by loose horse 3 out, joined last, soon headed, no extra and lost 2 places inside final 100 yards
held up towards rear, not fluent 2nd, headway 8th, switched right before 2 out, stayed on well flat, went 2nd inside final 100 yards, not trouble winner
led, not fluent 6th, jinked right and unseated rider next
handy on outside, shaken up 3 out, outpaced when not fluent 2 out, weakened flat
mid-division, headway after 8th, pushed along 3 out, stayed on flat, went 3rd inside final 75 yards
chased leader, not fluent 6th, hampered and left in lead next, headed 2 out, losing place 2 out, hung left and weakened before last
in touch in mid-division, closed 7th, ridden after 3 out, outpaced and no impression on leaders from next
never going well, soon mid-division on outside, dropped to last 5th, pulled up before 7th
Buveur D'Air won this in 2017 but was only second when odds-on two years later. The former champion has only run three times since and has failed to land short odds in his last two so has plenty to prove now. Not So Sleepy finished ahead of Silver Streak in the Champion Hurdle but is a keen-going sort who may not last home over this extra half-mile. Buzz graduates from handicaps and will also have stamina to prove, along with Irish raiders Abacadabras and Jason The Militant, but Song For Someone won over an extended 2m3f in the autumn. Brewin'upastorm was receiving 5lb from MCFABULOUS (NAP) when beating that rival in the National Spirit at Fontwell but Paul Nicholls’ grey made a couple of uncharacteristic mistakes that day and may not have been suited by that unconventional track. He’d beaten a couple of in-form rivals easily in a Grade 2 at Kempton earlier and did win a hot bumper here in 2019.
Abacadabras (FR) 10-1 (11-10) Held up towards rear of mid-division, fell 3rd, at Cheltenham 2m (1) sft in Mar.
Ballyandy 5-2 (11-10) Tracked winner until pushed along 2 out, soon weakened, last of 3, 18 1/4l behind Navajo Pass (11-7) at Haydock 2m (1) hvy in Jan.
Brewin'upastorm (IRE) 3-1 (11-3) Held up in rear but in touch, rapid headway on outside after 3 out, ran on to lead narrowly 2 out, drew clear when hit last, stayed on flat, won at Fontwell 2m 3f (1) gs in Feb beating Mcfabulous (11-9) by 5 1/2l, 6 ran.
Buveur D'Air (FR) 8-11fav (11-4) Close up in 3rd, headway to chase winner 2 out, ridden and no impression from next, 2nd of 3, 4 1/4l behind Navajo Pass (11-7) at Haydock 2m (1) hvy in Jan.
Buzz (FR) 10-1 (11-12) Midfield, mistake and lost place 5th, switched right and ridden to challenge approaching 2 out, kept on flat, 5th of 23, 5 3/4l behind Soaring Glory (10-7) at Newbury 2m hcp (1) gs in Feb.
Jason The Militant (IRE) 7-4fav (11-11) Made all, jumped well, travelling smoothly approaching straight, pushed along from 2 out, soon asserted, stayed on well run-in, comfortably, won at Fairyhouse 2m (1) sft in Feb beating Petit Mouchoir (11-2) by 7 1/2l, 5 ran.
McFabulous (IRE) 4-6fav (11-9) Tracked leader, not fluent 4th, blundered 6th, reminders after 7th, ridden to chase leader after 3 out, close up 2 out, one pace, 2nd of 6, 5 1/2l behind Brewin'upastorm (11-3) at Fontwell 2m 3f (1) gs in Feb.
Millers Bank 7-1 (11-9) Chased leaders, pushed along before 3 out, 2nd before led 2 out, went clear before last, easily, won at Newbury 2m hcp (3) gd in Mar beating Highway One O Two (11-9) by 10l, 10 ran.
Not So Sleepy 125-1 (11-10) Chased leader early but soon settled tracking leaders on inside, outpaced and losing place when hung left before 2 out, never troubled leaders after, 5th of 10, 13l behind Honeysuckle (11-3) at Cheltenham 2m (1) sft in Mar.
Silver Streak (IRE) 22-1 (11-10) Led, not much room on inside and headed 2 out, chased leaders, weakened before the last, 6th of 10, 14 1/4l behind Honeysuckle (11-3) at Cheltenham 2m (1) sft in Mar.
Song For Someone (GER) 11-10fav (11-8) Held up, niggled along in last before 3rd, reminders after 3 out, progress round final bend and went 2nd before 2 out, no chance with winner, 2nd of 6, 22l behind Goshen (11-2) at Wincanton 1m 7f (1) hvy in Feb.
