held up towards rear, outpaced 4 out, headway 3 out, went 3rd 2 out, chased winner before last, kept on and held run-in
tracked leaders, led 9th, headed before 10th, every chance 4 out, weakened before 2 out
held up towards rear, headway before 8th, led 3 out, clear before 2 out, kept on well run-in
held up in touch, pushed along and outpaced 3 out, kept on same pace and no impression
towards rear, pushed along before 11th, fell heavily 12th
towards rear, blundered 2nd, lost place 10th, pulled up before 12th
led, mistake 3rd, led before 10th, headed 3 out, ridden before 2 out, one pace
tracked leader, lost place after 9th
A cracking contest but The Grey Taylor may struggle to give Brian Ellison a third win in five years. Indian Temple and Drumlee Sunset are also probably also up against it in this grade but Calipto ran well on his belated reappearance in the Grand Annual and is 8lb better off for the seven lengths he finished behind third Theinval, who went on to finish second at Aintree. Katgary was second to Warriors Tale’s stablemate San Benedeto at Doncaster but that was over 2m and Paul Nicholls’ charge is on a hat-trick after a couple of victories at Newbury, though has gone up another 6lb. TWO TAFFS (NAP) was running in his first handicap when third at Cheltenham. He would have finished closer that day but for being badly hampered and collateral form gives him the beating of Theinval on these terms.
Theinval (FR) 15-2 (11-6) Mid-division, headway 8th, not fluent 3 out, 2nd 2 out, soon edged left, led but pressed before last, headed final 75 yards, held close home, 2nd of 14, 1l behind Double W's (11-1) at Aintree 2m hcp (1) gd in Apr.
Warriors Tale 9-2fav (11-2) Tracked leaders, went 2nd after 6 out, challenged 4 out, led next, 2 lengths clear last, soon ridden, held on towards finish, won at Newbury 2m 4f hcp (2) gs in Mar beating Gala Ball (11-6) by 1 1/4l, 13 ran.
Two Taffs (IRE) 7-1 (11-7) Mid-division, headway after 3 out, tracked leaders next, ridden and stayed on to dispute 2nd flat, always held, 3rd of 20, 1 1/2l behind Tully East (11-8) at Cheltenham 2m 4f hcp lst (1) gs in Mar.
Katgary (FR) 13-2 (11-4) Prominent, led after 3 out, headed last, held final 100 yards, stayed on, 2nd of 6, 1l behind San Benedeto (11-12) at Doncaster 2m hcp (2) sft in Mar.
Calipto (FR) 14-1 (10-11) Towards rear, outpaced 3 out, ridden after next, late headway when not fluent last, ridden and kept on under pressure flat, not pace to get on terms, 6th of 24, 7l behind Rock The World (11-5) at Cheltenham 2m hcp (1) gd in Mar.
Drumlee Sunset (IRE) 2-1 (11-3) Jumped slightly left at times, led, not fluent 5th, shaken up and pressed 4 out, ridden after 3 out, headed before last, beaten flat, 2nd of 3, 11l behind Clan Des Obeaux (11-3) at Exeter 2m 3f (3) gs in Mar.
Indian Temple (IRE) 25-1 (11-5) Led until mistake 11th, chased leaders, blundered 3 out, weakened soon after, 12th of 16, dist behind O Maonlai (11-6) at Newbury 2m 6f hcp (3) gs in Nov.
The Grey Taylor (IRE) 33-1 (10-9) Chased leaders, pushed along 4 out, soon weakened, pulled up before 3 out, at Aintree 2m hcp (2) gd in Apr.
