chased leaders, ridden and unable to quicken before 2 out, weakened 2 out
chased leaders, pushed along and slightly outpaced 5th, rallied on outside 4 out 3rd after 3 out, led before 2 out, driven out
always behind
took keen hold, chased leading pair, 2nd 4 out, every chance 2 out, ridden and held before last, lost 2nd run-in, kept on same pace in 3rd
led until headed briefly 6th, headed 8th, chased leader until 4 out, chased leaders, outpaced 2 out, ridden and switched left approaching last, kept on again in closing stages, not pace to challenge
chased leader, challenged 6th, led 8th, ridden and headed before 2 out, chased leaders, ridden and weakened before the last
chased leaders on inside, weakened 4 out
not fluent 1st, held up last, pushed along and outpaced after 7th, headway approaching 2 out, 3rd 2 out, went 2nd run-in and closed near finish, not reach winner
San Benedeto crowned a brilliant novice campaign when completing a four-timer in the Grade 1 Maghull at Aintree in April. He hasn't quite managed to go on from that though he's continued to run at a high level. Upsilon Bleu has an excellent strike-rate and is well capable of winning this if near his best though last year's winner SIRE DE GRUGY is taken to repeat the performance. Runner-up in the Tingle Creek a couple of weeks after that triumph, he fell at the second in the Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton and didn't run again until a spin over hurdles at Ffos Las last month and should be ready for this. Quite By Chance is a smart handicapper who was conceding 28lb to the winner when runner-up in a Listed handicap here three weeks ago while Arthur Moore doesn't send horses to the UK without chances so he must believe Dandridge is well handicapped.
Sire De Grugy (FR) 8-1 (10-11) Held up in touch, headway approaching 3 out, weakened before last, 3rd of 6, 16 3/4l behind The New One (11-10) at Ffos Las 2m hcp (2) sft in Oct.
Sir Valentino (FR) 16-1 (11-8) Held up in touch, chased leaders 6th, blundered next, soon outpaced, weakened 5 out, tailed off when pulled up before next, at Exeter 2m 1f hcp (1) sft in Nov.
Vaniteux (FR) 20-1 (11-4) Chased leaders early, behind from 3rd, outpaced 4 out, soon lost touch, tailed off, last of 5, dist behind Fox Norton (11-6) at Cheltenham 2m (1) sft in Nov.
San Benedeto (FR) 8-1 (11-3) Tracked leaders, went 2nd before 4 out, 4 lengths down when hit 2 out, ridden and stayed on under pressure flat, not reach winner, 2nd of 8, 2 1/4l behind Politologue (11-2) at Exeter 2m 1f hcp (1) sft in Nov.
Quite By Chance 7-1 (11-8) Tracked front pair, went 2nd before 3 out, led before next, ridden and headed between last 2, not pace of winner from last, 2nd of 10, 7l behind Exitas (10-1) at Ascot 2m 1f hcp lst (1) gd in Nov.
Upsilon Bleu (FR) 8-1 (12-1) Held up mid-division, headway before 4th, join leader 8th, led before 3 out, headed last, kept on and no chance with winner, 2nd of 8, 3l behind Archive (11-1) at Ayr 2m hcp (3) hvy in Nov.
Dandridge 20-1 (12-0) Held up, slight mistake 5th, not fluent 3 out, dropped to last approaching straight and no extra, last of 8, dist behind Tesseract (11-0) at Wexford 2m 4f hcp hvy in Oct.
Cepage (FR) 2-1 (10-13) Never fluent, sweating and edgy, held up in 3rd place, awkward 3rd and 5th, hit 11th, blundered badly 3 out, no chance after, last of 3, 13 1/2l behind Warriors Tale (10-9) at Newbury 2m 4f hcp (3) sft in Mar.
