held up, closed 3rd, switched right off last bend, led last, edged left and driven flat, stayed on well to assert final 150 yards
tracked leaders, challenged 2 out, led before last, soon headed, 3rd and held from last, kept on
led until after 2nd, led 4th, headed next, not fluent 7th, led 3 out, soon headed, led again 2 out, headed before last, 2nd and held final 150 yards, kept on
tracked leaders, lost place 3rd, not fluent 3 out, soon outpaced, no impression from 2 out, kept on and went 4th flat
pressed leader, led after 2nd, headed 4th, led next, headed 3 out, soon led again, headed, bumped and mistake 2 out, beaten after, well held 4th when jumped left last
held up in rear, not always fluent, well beaten after 2 out
Cyrus Darius has not shown his best form since switching to Colin Tizzard and WHOLESTONE probably just edges this if on his best behaviour. He finished nine lengths ahead of Old Guard when winning this last year and made a winning reappearance at Aintree, though showed less resolution when disappointing at Newbury in a race in which Clyne, who re-opposes on the same terms, finished second. Thomas Campbell has been chasing, with mixed results, while this is a big step up for Aintree scorer Midnight Shadow.
Midnight Shadow 4-1 (11-10) Held up in touch, challenged from 2 out, led after last, stayed on, driven out, won at Aintree 2m 4f hcp (2) sft in Dec beating Ch'tibello (11-12) by 1/2l, 11 ran.
Old Guard 11-1 (11-6) Handily placed, outpaced before 2 out, never going pace to get back on terms, plugged on, 6th of 8, 8 1/2l behind Brain Power (11-0) at Cheltenham 2m 1f (1) gs in Dec.
Wholestone (IRE) 10-3 (11-6) Tracked leaders on outside, closer at 8th, 3rd 3 out, weakened next, 5th of 7, 24l behind Unowhatimeanharry (11-0) at Newbury 3m (1) sft in Nov.
Thomas Campbell 4-1 (11-7) Tracked leader, lost 2nd 13th, rallied to chase winner 2 out, kept on under pressure, never a threat, 2nd of 7, 9l behind Bags Groove (11-12) at Huntingdon 3m (3) gs in Dec.
Clyne 14-1 (11-0) Tracked leaders, disputing close 2nd at 7th, every chance 2 out, ridden between last 2, soon 2nd, kept on same pace run-in, 2nd of 7, 2 1/2l behind Unowhatimeanharry (11-0) at Newbury 3m (1) sft in Nov.
Cyrus Darius 16-1 (11-11) Always towards rear, mistake 4 out, tailed off, 19th of 21, dist behind Mohaayed (11-10) at Ascot 2m hcp (1) sft in Dec.
