held up in touch in 4th, went 3rd before 8th, led 2 out, clear before last, kept on well
tracked leader until before 6th, in 3rd before last, one pace
towards rear, headway before 3 out, chased winner before last, kept on and always held
led, headed before 3 out, mistake 3 out, soon pulled up
refused to race
always in rear, tailed off 5 out
tracked leaders in 3rd, mistake 5 out, led before 3 out, headed 2 out, ridden and weakened before last
Nonrunner
Surf And Turf is consistent and versatile but probably a few pounds too high. Nikos Extra is enjoying an Indian summer but is now 21lb higher than when his winning run began in August while Doeslessthanme was tailed off despite finishing third at Fontwell on his reappearance. Valco De Touzaine is starting to come down the weights but still need to brush up his jumping. PARSNIP PETE unseated his rider at Punchestown in May but beat Gus Macrae, among others, in a Grade 3 here previously and would be hard to beat if reproducing that form. Dunowen Point is preferred to Irish raider Back To Baloo of the others.
Parsnip Pete 14-1 (11-5) Prominent until bad mistake and unseated rider 6th, in a race won by Mallowney (11-4) at Punchestown 2m hcap ch in May, 16 ran.
Valco De Touzaine (FR) 5-1 (11-2) Led, mistake and headed 5 out, soon lost place, fell 3 out, in a race won by Le Bacardy (10-1) at Ayr 2m lstd hcp chs (1) gs in Apr, 7 ran.
Surf And Turf (IRE) 9-1 (11-4) Tracked leaders, ridden after 3 out, went 2nd next, no chance with winner, stayed on same pace, 2nd of 5, 7l behind Laser Blazer (11-9) at Warwick 2m hcp hdl 0-130 (3) gd.
Back To Balloo (IRE) 11-1 (10-11) Led and jumped slightly left early, ridden 3 out, headed before next, no impression in 4th from 2 out, 4th of 7, 14l behind Pires (10-11) at Down Royal 2m hdl 0-123 gf in Aug.
Nikos Extra (FR) 5-1 (11-8) Held up in touch, went 3rd after 4th, not fluent 8th, close up 4 out, challenging when not fluent last, edged left flat, led towards finish, stayed on, won at Wetherby 2m hcp chs 0-130 (3) gd beating Oyster Shell (11-12) by 1l, 5 ran.
Gus Macrae (IRE) 20-1 (9-12) Soon in touch, driven after 4 out, edged left before next, no extra approaching last, 5th of 16, 17l behind Parsnip Pete (10-10) at Aintree 2m hcp chs G3 (1) gd in Apr.
Dunowen Point (IRE) 7-2 (11-12) Raced freely, led 2nd, stumbled slightly on bend after 5th, clear 6th until 9th, ridden and headed approaching last, beaten and stayed on same pace flat, 2nd of 4, 6l behind Tregaro (10-2) at Sedgefield 2m 4f hcp chs 0-125 (3) gd in Sep.
Doeslessthanme (IRE) 8-1 (11-8) Led to 6th, tracked leaders, weakened from 3 out, went poor 3rd from 2 out, 3rd of 6, 36l behind Workbench (10-6) at Fontwell 2m 2f hcp chs 0-145 (2) gd.
