held up in touch in 5th, closed before 3 out, ridden after 2 out, no impression and stayed on same pace flat
led, pecked slightly 4th, headed 7th, not fluent next, lost place approaching 3 out, weakened before next
held up in last, mistake 5th, ridden after 8th, no impression and outpaced 3 out, stayed on flat, nearest finish
tracked leader, challenged after 6th, led next, driven flat, just held on
tracked leaders, pushed along and pressing for 2nd before 3 out, driven after 2 out, hit last, weakened flat
held up in rear, headway when not fluent 3 out, ridden after 2 out, 6th and beaten when jumped left last
held up in touch in 4th, chased winner approaching 3 out until last, stayed on same pace flat, held by front pair
held up in 6th, took keen hold, headway travelling well 3 out, ridden to chase winner flat, hard driven and kept on, closing near finish, just failed
PEDDLERS CROSS had 2010 champion Binocular over seven lengths behind when landing the re-routed Fighting Fifth at Newbury and ran the race of his life when runner-up to Hurricane Run in the Champion Hurdle with Oscar Whisky five lengths back in third and Thousand Stars a further two lengths away in fourth. There's no doubting it was a quality line-up for the championship event and it may well have been a better race than last year's. Binocular arrives here fresh after his much-reported absence from Cheltenham and looked as good as ever when landing the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton, but the extra half-mile is an unknown and Peddlers Cross, who won the Mersey Novices' Hurdle over the C&D a year ago, will relish the test. Oscar Whisky is another who can do better over this trip and had Celestial Halo a long way behind when scoring over 2m5f at Cheltenham on New Year's Day while Willie Mullins has always been of the opinion that Thousand Stars would stay this trip and Katie Walsh's mount has no Hurricane Run to worry about this time.
Binocular (FR) Evens0fav (11-8) Held up in 4th, jumped left, improved to go 2nd 2 out, shaken up to challenge last, soon led, readily, won at Sandown 2m Listed hdl (1) gd in Feb beating Ruthenoise (10-7) by 1 3/4l, 4 ran.
Celestial Halo (IRE) 6-4 (11-7) Tracked leader, raced keenly, led 5th, 6 lengthes clear approaching 2 out, stayed on well (no time taken), won at Fontwell 2m 4f hdl G2 (1) gs in Feb beating Trenchant (11-11) by 6l, 5 ran.
Oscar Dan Dan (IRE) 10-1 (11-10) Close 2nd early, led 3rd, disputed before 4 out, ridden in 2nd entering straight, no extra in 4th 2 out, kept on same pace from before last, 3rd of 9, 2 3/4l behind Voler La Vedette (11-3) at Navan 2m 5f hdl G2 (1) hvy in Feb.
Oscar Whisky (IRE) 7-1 (11-10) Tracked leaders, hit 2nd and 3rd, led narrowly 2 out, soon ridden and headed, demoted to 3rd last, stayed on same pace, no impression on front pair, 3rd of 11, 6l behind Hurricane Fly (11-10) at Cheltenham 2m hdl G1 (1) gd in Mar.
Peddlers Cross (IRE) 9-2 (11-10) Tracked leaders, went 2nd 4th, challenged 3 out, led narrowly after 2 out, driven and headed last, carried right flat, stayed on under pressure, held last 50 yards, 2nd of 11, 1 1/4l behind Hurricane Fly (11-10) at Cheltenham 2m hdl G1 (1) gd in Mar.
Ronaldo Des Mottes (FR) 12-1 (11-12) Towards rear on inside when fell 5th, in a race won by Alarazi (10-3) at Sandown 2m lst hcp hdl (0-150) (1) gd in Mar, 24 ran.
Salden Licht 25-1 (11-12) Mid-division, blundered 2nd, headway and effort 2 out, soon driven and outpaced, kept on under pressure from last, not reached leaders, 5th of 26, 2 1/2l behind Final Approach (10-12) at Cheltenham 2m 1f hcp hdl G3 (1) gd in Mar.
Thousand Stars (FR) 33-1 (11-10) Held up towards rear, headway to track leaders when not fluent and bumped 3 out, slightly outpaced when bumped on bend after 2 out, stayed on approaching last, went 4th flat, not trouble leaders, 4th of 11, 8l behind Hurricane Fly (11-10) at Cheltenham 2m hdl G1 (1) gd in Mar.
