chased leaders, hard ridden after 3 out, no impression and one pace next
prominent, led 2nd, headed next, led 9th, headed before last, no impression on winner flat, just held on for 2nd
mid-division, not fluent 5th, headway 10th, close 3rd 2 out, one pace last, stayed on final 100 yards, just failed to get 2nd
always prominent, led before last, stayed on well
held up in rear, some headway 13th, never on terms and well beaten before 3 out
mid-division, headway before 8th, tracking leaders after 3 out, lost place before next
chased leaders, lost place 7th, reminder next, well beaten 4 out
in touch in mid-division, mistake and lost place 7th, not fluent next, behind when not fluent 10th, pulled up after 13th
mid-division, some headway after 11th, ridden and no impression before 2 out
held up towards rear, mistake 4th, headway 13th, 4th and one pace when jumped left 2 out, no extra
held up towards rear, mistake 4 out, some headway next, no impression on leaders 2 out, stayed on flat
led after 1st until 2nd, stayed handy until ridden and lost place 10th, well beaten 4 out
led until after 1st, led 3rd, not fluent 5th, headed 9th, lost place from 12th
Paddy Power winner Caid Du Berlais blundered and was quickly pulled up in the early stages of Niceonefrankie's race on heavy ground here last month. Splash Of Ginge was giving vain pursuit of the winner when falling in that contest but would probably have finished ahead of eventual fifth Darna had he stayed upright. Ericht was pulled up and has struggled around here in the past. Rolling Aces finished ahead of Hunt Ball, Persian Snow and Champion Court at Aintree last time while Dineur and Baileys Concerto look closely matched on running at the same track. Tenor Nivernais won at Kempton after a break but will have to improve again to follow up here. DIOCLES never seems to run two races alike and is due a bad one. But he was so impressive at Kelso last month that we'll take the chance that he's turned over a new leaf.
Rolling Aces (IRE) 8-1 (11-12) Mid-division, outpaced 15th, 9th and still plenty to do before last, ridden and stayed on strongly towards stands side flat, went 4th near finish, never nearer, 4th of 16, 7l behind Poole Master (10-12) at Aintree 2m 5f hcp chs (2) gs in Dec.
Hunt Ball (IRE) 8-1 (11-11) Towards rear of mid-division, tracked leaders 9th, driven 3 out, one pace next, kept on under pressure flat, never on terms, 6th of 16, 9l behind Poole Master (10-12) at Aintree 2m 5f hcp chs (2) gs in Dec.
Caid Du Berlais (FR) 9-2fav (11-11) Held up towards rear, not fluent 1st or 7th, slithered on landing 9th (water), not recover and pulled up before next, in a race won by Niceonefrankie (11-5) at Cheltenham 2m 5f Grade 3 hcp chs (4yo+) (1) gs in Dec, 12 ran.
Splash of Ginge 11-1 (11-3) Tracked leaders, not fluent 3rd, went 10 length 2nd 13th, fell next, in a race won by Niceonefrankie (11-5) at Cheltenham 2m 5f Grade 3 hcp chs (4yo+) (1) gs in Dec, 12 ran.
Champion Court (IRE) 10-1 (10-12) Behind, hit 3rd (chair), ridden 2 out, never dangerous, 12th of 16, 39l behind Poole Master (10-12) at Aintree 2m 5f hcp chs (2) gs in Dec.
Darna 12-1 (11-7) Mid-division, not fluent 11th, closed 13th, left 12 lengths 2nd next, lost 2nd after 3 out, weakened 2 out, 5th of 12, 30l behind Niceonefrankie (11-5) at Cheltenham 2m 5f Grade 3 hcp chs (4yo+) (1) gs in Dec.
Persian Snow (IRE) 10-1 (10-10) Towards rear of mid-division, outpaced when hampered 13th (valentines), ridden and kept on under pressure from last, never reached leadrs, 7th of 16, 12l behind Poole Master (10-12) at Aintree 2m 5f hcp chs (2) gs in Dec.
Diocles (IRE) 9-1 (10-8) In touch, headway before 5 out, led 2 out, soon clear, eased run-in, won at Kelso 2m 7f hcp chs (2) sft in Dec beating Pinerolo (10-7) by 4l, 10 ran.
Baileys Concerto (IRE) 6-1 (11-11) Held up towards rear, headway 5 out, effort between last 2, chance last, ridden and kept on flat, held by front pair towards finish, 3rd of 10, 1 1/2l behind Bincombe (10-10) at Aintree 2m 4f hcp chs 0-135 (3) gd in Dec.
Ericht (IRE) 8-1 (11-0) Not fluent, held up, hampered 9th, behind when pulled up before 11th, in a race won by Niceonefrankie (11-5) at Cheltenham 2m 5f Grade 3 hcp chs (4yo+) (1) gs in Dec, 12 ran.
Tenor Nivernais (FR) 5-1 (11-9) Tracked leaders, blundered 3rd, soon lost place, headway 4 out, mistake 3 out, ridden before last, kept on on inner and not much room, led post, won at Kempton 2m 4f hcp chs 0-135 (3) sft in Nov beating King Edmund (11-12) by shd, 7 ran.
Dineur (FR) 16-1 (11-7) With leader, left in lead 5th, ridden after 2 out, stayed on until no extra when hard pressed towards finish, headed post, 2nd of 10, shd behind Bincombe (10-10) at Aintree 2m 4f hcp chs 0-135 (3) gd in Dec.
King Massini (IRE) 11-1 (10-0) Held up in mid-division, headway before 2 out, outpaced before last, no impression, 8th of 10, 8l behind Ulzana's Raid (11-10) at Cheltenham 3m hcp hdl (2) gs in Dec.
