in touch, mistake 6th, chased leaders 3 out, one pace
held up, closer order 8th, hampered and unseated rider 3 out
keen and mistakes 1st, reminder and jumped slowly 2nd, pulled up soon after
held up towards rear, steady headway 8th, ridden and mistake 3 out, soon weakened
tracked leaders, ridden and weakened after 3 out
in touch, ridden and every chance 2 out, soon one pace
held up towards rear, jumped left 6th, headway 8th, close up when blundered and unseated rider 3 out
with leader, led 3rd, ridden when jumped right last, ran on gamely
led, headed 3rd, mistake 4th, ridden 8th, weakening when behind and hampered 3 out
tracked leaders, mistake and lost place 5th, losing place when hampered 3 out
in rear and bumped 1st, ridden 4 out, staying on from 3 out, rallied after last, not reach winner
Crossbow Creek lines up fit and fancied in his bid to complete a hat-trick, with the likes of See You Sometime, Andreas, Contraband and Tysou all out to stop him. Crossbow Creek gained his biggest success over hurdles when landing the 2005 Lanzarote at Kempton, and looked one to follow when put over fences. However, things went badly wrong after an initial victory at Taunton, as he was brought down and fell in two valuable events at Sandown. He just never seemed to recover after that and failed to catch the eye. However, Mark Rimell seems to have got the gelding's confidence back now judged on wins at Kempton and here last time where he defied an 11lb rise. A further 6lb on his back today makes his task that bit harder, but we reckon that there is more improvement to come, and with ground and trip to suit, he should go close. See You Sometime will struggle over this much shorter trip than he is used to, but both Andreas and Demi Beau are weighted to turn the tables on the selection so have to be considered for the frame at least. Tysou will be all the better for his recent return to action at Cheltenham where he would have gone close but for a mistake two out, and as he won the Victor Chandler here in February, is also on the short-list. Hopefully, Crossbow Creek can fine the few pounds required to go in again in what has the makings of a cracking contest.
Mister McGoldrick 9-1 (11-3) Chased leaders, weakened after 4 out, last of 5, well behind Kauto Star (11-10) at Aintree 2m 4f hcp chs Grd 2 (1) gd in Oct.
Nyrche (FR) 7-1 (11-10) Prominent, driven along from 4 out, weakened 3 out, 7th of 9, 30l behind Rubberdubber (10-8) at Cheltenham 2m hcp chs (2) gd.
Contraband 4-6fav (11-7) Held up, tracked winner 6th, challenged 2 out, soon no impression, 2nd of 4, 3 1/2l behind Sporazene (11-0) at Kempton 2m chs (3) gd.
Tysou (FR) 10-1 (11-3) Chased leaders, 4th when blundered 2 out, soon outpaced, stayed on flat, 3rd of 9, 4 1/2l behind Rubberdubber (10-8) at Cheltenham 2m hcp chs (2) gd.
See You Sometime 14-1 (10-1) Jumped well, made all, clear 4th, unchallenged, won at Ascot 3m hcp chs (2) gf in Oct beating Zabenz (10-10) by 7l, 11 ran.
Andreas (FR) 11-8fav (11-11) Tracked leaders, joined leader after 3 out, led narrowly 2 out, soon ridden, hit last and headed, no extra, 3rd of 6, 2 1/2l behind Crossbow Creek (11-12) at Ascot 2m 1f lst hcp chs (1) gf in Oct.
Green Tango 8-1 (10-4) fell at the 3rd in race won by Impek (11-10) at Exeter 2m 1f hcp chs Grd 2 (1) gd in Oct, 9 ran.
Demi Beau 7-1 (11-2) Led, ridden and narrowly headed 2 out, rallied gamely to lead soon after last, headed and no extra final 75 yards, 2nd of 6, 1 1/2l behind Crossbow Creek (11-12) at Ascot 2m 1f lst hcp chs (1) gf in Oct.
Madison Du Berlais (FR) 7-2 (10-1) Tracked leaders, hit 5th and 6th, ridden next, soon beaten, 3rd of 7, 23l behind Nyrche (10-11) at Ayr 2m hcp chs (2) gd in Apr.
Calatagan (IRE) 66-1 (10-10) Prominent, hit 3rd, ridden and weakened 4 out, 10th of 16, 35l behind Exotic Dancer (11-2) at Cheltenham 2m 4f hcp chs Grd 3 (1) gs.
Hasty Prince 10-1 (11-10) Held up towards rear, headway 4th, ridden to chase leaders 3 out, weakened flat, 5th of 9, 13l behind Taranis (10-1) at Chepstow 2m 4f lst hcp hdl (1) gs in Oct.
Crossbow Creek 9-4 (11-12) Held up, hit 9th and slipped soon after, ridden to go 3rd approaching 2 out, ran on strongly flat, led final 75 yards, won at Ascot 2m 1f lst hcp chs (1) gf in Oct beating Demi Beau (11-2) by 1 1/2l, 6 ran.
