raced keenly, chased leader, not fluent 2nd, pecked next, lost 2nd after 4 out, pecked 3 out, went 2nd and mistake 2 out, switched right flat, led towards finish
led, slow at times, not fluent and headed 3 out, lost 2nd before not fluent 2 out, weakened flat
held up on outside, not fluent 2nd, closed 10th, led 3 out, ridden before last, headed towards finish
Stoner's Choice doesn’t look a natural jumper of fences and only won a match at Kempton in May. He is rated 5lb higher than SO SCOTTISH but Emmet Mullins’ raider may be a better bet over these stiff obstacles having impressed at Tipperary earlier this month. Chasing debutant Grand Voyage is a full brother to winning chaser Clic Work and a half-brother to the useful Faivoir so any market support should be taken seriously.
So Scottish (FR) 5-4fav (11-3) Tracked leader, jumped left 1st, 2nd halfway, travelled well to lead before 2 out, asserted before last, easily, won at Tipperary 2m 4f Good - Yielding in Oct beating Railway Hurricane (11-3) by 7l, 5 ran.
Stoner's Choice 10-3 (11-10) Led, jumped right 2nd, headed and not fluent 7th, mistake 8th (water), ridden 11th, weakened before 2 out, 4th of 6, 28 3/4l behind Ash Tree Meadow (11-7) at Perth 2m 4f hcp (3) gd in Jun.
Grand Voyage (FR) 9-4fav (11-2) Chased leaders, led before 2 out, soon ridden, kept on well, always doing enough, won at Kelso 2m 7f hcp (3) sft in Dec beating Skipthescales (10-12) by 2 1/2l, 10 ran.
