held up in 6th, some headway on outside and pushed along before 3 out, soon ridden and beaten
held up off the pace in last pair, steady headway on inside approaching 4 out, still only 5th and plenty to do jumping 2 out, headway soon after, 3rd at the last, stayed on dourly run-in to lead near finish
raced out wide chasing leaders until lost place 7th, behind next, tailed off and pulled up before 4 out
led and soon clear, reduced lead 6th, headed on long run before 2 out, lost 2nd soon after, weakened 2 out
handy enough in 5th, pushed along after 3 out, hung right and weakened from 2 out
tracked leaders on inside, went 2nd before 2 out, led approaching last, headed and no extra near finish
tracked clear leader, closer at 6th, led on long run before 2 out, hit 2 out, ridden and headed when hit last, weakened run-in
waited with in rear, steady headway on inside on long run before 2 out, close 3rd 2 out, went 2nd at the last, never getting to leader and weakened into 3rd final 110 yards
NonRunner
NonRunner
A decent renewal of this Grade 1 with three of the last five winners facing the start again. PAISLEY PARK (NAP) was the winner in 2018 with Younevercall well adrift. Something was clearly amiss with Emma Lavelle’s stable star when he failed to defend his Stayers’ Hurdle crown at Cheltenham in March but he didn’t do a lot wrong on his reappearance in the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury when trying to concede 3lb to Thyme Hill and can take his revenge on Philip Hobbs’ up-and-coming stayer today. The remarkable Main Fact bids for a 10th victory in a row and David Pipe sticks with Fergus Gillard even though the conditional can’t claim in this. He beat Third Wind at Haydock and is better off at the weights today. Roksana easily won a Grade 2 at Wetherby on her reappearance so can’t be ignored but former winners The Worlds End and Thistlecrack are best watched at present and this looks a huge task for Portrush Ted and Irish raider The Jam Man.
Main Fact (USA) 13-2 (11-4) Held up towards rear, well off the pace when ridden approaching 3 out, headway under pressure 2 out, 5th jumping last, stayed on strongly to lead flat, won going away, won at Haydock 3m hcp (1) sft in Nov beating Third Wind (10-12) by 2 3/4l, 17 ran.
Paisley Park (IRE) 11-4 (11-6) Midfield, pushed along after 3 out, ridden to challenge approaching last, stayed on well flat, 2nd of 10, 1 1/2l behind Thyme Hill (11-3) at Newbury 3m (1) gd in Nov.
Portrush Ted (IRE) 12-1 (11-12) Made most, blundered 4th, headed 7th, chased leader until after 3 out, handy 3rd,close 2nd again soon after 2 out, challenged and hit last, ridden and stayed on gamely run-in to lead close home, won at Sandown 2m 7f hcp (2) hvy in Dec beating Storm Arising (11-7) by 1/2l, 10 ran.
The Worlds End (IRE) (10-10) at Auteuil 3m 1f hvy in Oct.
Third Wind 6-1jfav (10-12) Midfield, smooth headway before 3 out, ridden to lead before last, headed run in, kept on, 2nd of 17, 2 3/4l behind Main Fact (11-4) at Haydock 3m hcp (1) sft in Nov.
Thyme Hill 7-2 (11-3) Raced keenly, prominent, disputed lead from 3 out, headed briefly 2 out, soon led, ridden after last, ran on well flat, won at Newbury 3m (1) gd in Nov beating Paisley Park (11-6) by 1 1/2l, 10 ran.
Younevercall (IRE) 7-1 (11-12) Raced wide prominent, led 3 out, ridden and not fluent 2 out, soon headed, rallied to lead again flat, headed final strides, 2nd of 10, shd behind Storm Goddess (10-0) at Kempton 2m 5f hcp (2) gd in Nov.
Roksana (IRE) 13-8fav (10-7) In rear, smooth progress to chase leaders 3 out, quickened to lead before last, ran on strongly under pressure flat, cosily, won at Wetherby 3m (1) sft in Oct beating Next Destination (11-0) by 8 1/2l, 8 ran.
The Jam Man (IRE) 7-1 (11-5) Held up towards rear, off the pace when ridden 3 out, stayed on from before last, 6th of 17, 12 1/4l behind Main Fact (11-4) at Haydock 3m hcp (1) sft in Nov.
Thistlecrack 9-2 (11-0) Tracked leading trio, closer in 3rd 7th, 2nd going well before 3 out, every chance next, went 2nd approaching the last, hung left and stayed on run-in, 2nd of 5, 1l behind Paisley Park (11-6) at Newbury 3m (1) gs in Nov.
