in rear, in touch, pushed along and well beaten after 3 out
prominent, hit 1st, pressed leader 2 out, ridden and every chance before last, no extra and well held run-in
led, jumped markedly left throughout, headed 7th, plugged on but beaten after 3 out
towards rear, pushed along and struggling 7th, tailed off
chased leaders, led 7th, hit 3 out, shaken up and faced challenge 2 out, soon ridden and headed, kept on, no match for winner
mid-division, went 4th 4 out, travelling strongly led after 2 out, forged on and jumped left last, pushed out run-in, comfortably
tracked leaders, mistake 7th, pushed along in close 4th 2 out where not fluent, ridden and kept on one pace run-in
raced keenly pressing leader, bad mistake and fell 2nd
NonRunner
NonRunner
Joke Dancer was due to run over a longer trip in the 3.30 Wetherby yesterday. Before Midnight made a winning reappearance at Cheltenham last season and went on to narrowly beat Amoola Gold over course and distance with Diego Du Charmil and Monsieur Lecoq unplaced, though the runner-up is now 10lb better off and beat the latter in this last year only to lose the race in the stewards’ room. The versatile Gumball ran well on the Flat here last month but it’s two years since the grey recorded his one and only victory over fences. FRERO BANBOU was fourth in this last year, promoted to third, but that wasn’t his form. He finished third in the Grand Annual in March and further rain would aid his cause. Thyme White is preferred to Nassalam of the others.
Daly Tiger (FR) 100-1 (11-6) Always towards rear, slight mistake 2nd, ridden and no extra after 3 out, weakened and tailed off, 15th of 21, dist behind Hewick (11-7) at Galway 2m 7f hcp gd in Jul.
Before Midnight 6-1 (11-7) Prominent, not fluent 2nd, ridden before 2 out, soon held, weakened approaching last, 6th of 16, 26l behind The Last Day (10-6) at Aintree 2m hcp (1) gs in Apr.
Nassalam (FR) 8-15fav (11-8) Jumped left, pressed leader, went left and bumped him 7th, pushed along before 3 out, soon challenging, led and went left next, ridden before last, driven out, won at Fontwell 2m 3f hcp (3) sft in Feb beating Railway Hurricane (10-9) by 2 1/2l, 4 ran.
Amoola Gold (GER) 33-1 (11-2) In rear, pushed along and outpaced after 7th, soon behind, plugged on for remote 4th home straight, 4th of 7, 35l behind Stolen Silver (10-13) at Cheltenham 2m 5f hcp (1) gd in Apr.
Frero Banbou (FR) 5-1 (11-1) Always behind, 9th of 16, dist behind The Last Day (10-6) at Aintree 2m hcp (1) gs in Apr.
Thyme White (FR) 12-1 (11-1) Chased leaders, not fluent 4th, mistake 7th, weakening when fell 3 out, at Aintree 2m hcp (1) gs in Apr.
Gumball (FR) 6-1 (10-2) Led after 1f, pushed along and edged right over 1f out, ridden and headed inside final furlong, stayed on, 2nd of 5, 1 3/4l behind Malakahna (8-12) at Ascot 2m hcp (3) gd in Sep.
Monsieur Lecoq (FR) 17-2 (11-8) Led, went left 2nd, mistake and headed 2 out, weakened soon after, 4th of 5, 11 1/4l behind Sonigino (11-1) at Chepstow 2m hcp (3) gd in Oct.
Diego Du Charmil (FR) 6-1 (11-11) Mid-division, chased leaders 5 out, pressed leader 3 out, ridden after 2 out and soon held by winner, kept on one pace, 2nd of 8, 6l behind Slate House (11-4) at Kempton 2m 2f hcp (2) gd in May.
Joke Dancer 4-1 (11-5) Held up in 3rd, went right 6th, pushed along after 5 out, went 2nd before 3 out, soon hung left, ridden between last two, dived at last, no extra run-in, 2nd of 3, 3l behind El Borracho (11-8) at Wetherby 1m 7f hcp (3) gd in Oct.
