held up towards rear, steady headway on outside 5f out, pushed along 3f out, chased leaders over 2f out, ridden and weakened over 1f out
tracked leader after 4f until over 2f out, weakened and eased well over 1f out
held up towards rear, good headway on outside well opver 2f out, chased leaders over 2f out, ridden to lead well over 1f out, headed inside final furlong, kept on
held up towards rear, headway over 2f out, switched right well over 1f out, kept on into 3rd last 100 yards
took keen hold tracking leaders on inside, lost place over 4f out
tracked leaders, ridden 6f out, soon lost place
mid-division, pushed along 6f out, soon lost place, tailed off and eased
always in rear
tracked leaders on inside, 2nd over 2f out, led 2f out, ridden and headed well over 1f out, kept on same pace inside final furlong, kept on into 4th post
took keen hold tracking leaders, ridden well over 1f out, soon weakened
held up towards rear, headway on outside 3f out, ridden and chased leaders 2f out, soon edged right, every chance 1f out, chased leadin gpair, lost 3rd 100 yards out and 4th on line
held up towards rear, reminders 4f out, headway over 2f out, stayed on inside final furlong, went 6th towards finish, never nearer
held up in last pair, headway on wide outside 2f out, chased leaders over 1f out, stayed on to lead inside final furlong, kept on well
tracked leader 4f, tracked leaders, pushed along over 3f out, switched right approaching final 2f, weakened over 1f out
slowly away, took keen hold and soon mid-division on inside, lost place over 4f out
tracked leaders, hampered approaching final 2f, soon ridden, weakened over 1f out
led, clear 8f out until 3f out, ridden and headed 2f out, soon ridden and weakened
mid-division, keeping on when badly hampered approaching final 2f, no chance after, eased
mid-division, pushed laong on outside 5f out, headway unde rpressure on outside over 2f out, chased leaders and every chance 2f out, ridden and weakened inside final furlong, lost modest 6th towards finish
Nonrunner
No favourite has won this in 12 years but winners are often well backed. National Hunt trainers have a particularly good record as this is a race for out-and-out stayers and is always run at a good pace. Willie Mullins saddles Clondaw Warrior, who was third over hurdles over this trip at the Punchestown Festival, and bottom weight Digeanta. The latter was fourth on his reappearance at Leopardstown, just ahead of Hardstone. Mick Halford's Asbury Boss is interesting while Shwaiman, who has won over hurdles recently, ran in last year's Gold Cup. Nicky Henderson won this last year and has winning hurdlers Hurricane Higgins, Royal Irish Hussar and Broxbourne in the line-up while Lycidas has been in good form this season. Ray Ward was a bit unlucky when sixth in this last season but is 3lb higher. Elishpour has probably been aimed at this but Statutory has his first run since successful at Pontefract in October. FUN MAC was very impressive over 1m6f at Salisbury last month. He's 14lb higher and his stamina over this trip obviously has to be taken on trust but he looks to have made giant strides over the winter and could be a pattern-race performer in the making. The lightly-weighted Boite is also worth a second look as he's likely to be prominent throughout.
Hurricane Higgins (IRE) 7-2 (9-5) Held up, ridden and headway approaching 2f out, no impression final furlong, 5th of 11, 2 1/2l behind Mymatechris (9-1) at Lingfield 2m cnd stks (4yo+) (2) pol in Apr.
Statutory (IRE) 4-5fav (9-3) Made all, quickened pace and soon 3 lengths clear over 2f out, ridden over 1f out, pushed out, readily, won at Pontefract 2m 2f cond Stakes (3) sft in Oct beating Alwilda (8-12) by nk, 4 ran.
Fun Mac (GER) 5-1 (9-1) Held up, headway over 3f out, led well over 2f out, clear over 1f out, eased final 100 yards, won at Salisbury 1m 6f hcp 0-95 (3) gf in May beating William Of Orange (9-7) by 11l, 9 ran.
Elishpour (IRE) 7-4fav (9-4) 3rd of 6, 1l behind Valirann (8-13) at Deauville(FR) 1m 5f 3yo stk sft in Aug '13.
Rhombus (IRE) 14-1 (9-2) Held up in mid-division, niggled along 4f out, outpaced 2f out, soon edging right, 5th and one pace final furlong, 5th of 11, 8l behind Quest For More (9-4) at Goodwood 1m 6f hcp 0-105 (2) gd in May.
Royal Irish Hussar (IRE) 11-1 (9-0) Took keen hold in mid-division, headway chasing leaders 6f out, pushed along over 4f out, weakened 3f out, behind and virtually pulled up over 1f out, 10th of 13, 37l behind Pique Sous (9-2) at Royal Ascot 2m 6f stks (2) gf in Jun '14.
Shwaiman (IRE) 12-1 (9-7) Tracked leaders, ridden and outpaced over 2f out, rallied inside final furlong, 4th of 6, 8l behind Rewaaya (9-0) at Leicester 1m 4f (2) sft in Oct.
Handazan (IRE) 25-1 (8-12) Tracked leader, led over 2f out, ridden and soon headed, weakened inside final furlong, 6th of 10, 13l behind Estimate (8-9) at Ascot 2m Grp 3 (1) gd in May '13.
Noble Silk 8-1 (9-4) Mid-division, lost place and towards rear halfway, outpaced when not much room 2f out, never a threat, 11th of 15, 19l behind Seamour (8-7) at Haydock 2m hcp 0-100 (2) gd in May.
Lycidas (GER) 8-1 (9-9) Took keen hold tracking leaders, driven over 1f out, stayed on inside final furlong, led final 100 yards, won at York 2m hcp 0-90 (3) gd in May beating Moscato (9-7) by 3/4l, 15 ran.
Ray Ward (IRE) 10-1 (9-2) Held up in rear, some late headway, never nearer, 7th of 12, 4 1/2l behind Forgotten Hero (9-6) at Newmarket 1m 2f hcp 0-95 (3) gf in May.
Broxbourne (IRE) 33-1 (9-0) Behind, ridden 5f out, never dangerous, beaten when eased 2f out, 31st of 33, well behind Scatter Dice (8-8) at Newmarket 2m 2f hcp (2) gs in Oct '13.
Clondaw Warrior (IRE) 16-1 (8-8) Mid-division early, soon raced in 8th, improved into 2nd 1f out, led inside final furlong, stayed on well closing stages to hold on at the finish, won at Leopardstown 1m 7f hcp in Oct beating Spacious Sky (8-2) by nk, 22 ran.
Asbury Boss (IRE) 20-1 (9-7) Soon led, headed over 5f out, soon pushed along in 2nd, close 3rd 1f out, no impression and kept on same pace inside final furlong, 3rd of 19, 2 1/2l behind Pyromaniac (9-1) at Curragh 2m hcp gd in May.
Big Thunder 12-1 (8-13) Slowly away in rear, never on terms, 14th of 19, 14l behind Blue Surf (9-6) at Epsom Downs 1m 4f hcp 0-100 (2) gf.
Buckland (IRE) 9-2 (9-5) Tracked leaders on inside, disputing 2nd from 2f out, ridden over 1f out, stayed on but never quite able to challenge and lost 2 places in closing stages, 4th of 9, 1 3/4l behind Moscato (9-4) at Ascot 2m app hcp 0-90 (3) gd in May.
Boite (IRE) 9-2 (8-8) Led, set good pace and soon clear, reduced lead over 3f out, ridden and headed approaching final furlong, one pace into 3rd inside final furlong, 3rd of 11, 3 1/2l behind Quest For More (9-4) at Goodwood 1m 6f hcp 0-105 (2) gd in May.
Hardstone (USA) 4-1 (9-10) Chased leaders, 3rd halfway, ridden 3f out, under pressure in 4th 2f out, kept on and close 4th inside final furlong, no extra in 5th close home, 5th of 9, 1 1/4l behind Sang Tiger (8-9) at Leopardstown 1m 7f hcp gf.
Digeanta (IRE) 3-1fav (9-7) Led, headed after 1f, 2nd halfway, narrow lead 2 1/2f out, ridden and strongly pressed 2f out, kept on under pressure, headed final 150 yards, no extra close home, 4th of 9, 1l behind Sang Tiger (8-9) at Leopardstown 1m 7f hcp gf.
Noble Gift 12-1 (9-0) Led after 2f, jinked left off rail 9f out, headed over 2f out, chased winner until approaching final furlong, weakened inside final furlong, 4th of 9, 6l behind Penhill (8-13) at Ascot 1m 4f hcp 0-95 (3) gd in May.
