held up in rear, not fluent 2nd or 3 out, headway last, stayed on flat, never able to trouble leaders
tracked leaders, lost place after 9th, weakened before next, tailed off
held up towards rear, not fluent 3rd, headway 9th, every chance 2 out, switched right approaching last, stayed on flat, held by winner
mid-division, took keen hold, headway 5th, every chance 2 out, no extra flat
led, jumped right 2nd, headed approaching 7th, hit 9th, lost place approaching 2 out
tracked leaders, took keen hold, led 2 out, edged right flat, driven out, dismounted after finish
held up in rear on outside, headway 9th, went 3rd last, stayed on under pressure, held by front pair
led, headed approaching 7th, weakened before last
mid-division, outpaced after 9th, not fluent 2 out, stayed on approaching last, closing on leaders towards finish
Buena Vista has won the final of this at The Festival for the past two years but it may be a while before he's back on a competitive mark and David Pipe also runs Qulinton, who won a valuable handicap chase at Market Rasen in the summer, and RASLAN. The latter is undoubtedly the best handicapped of the trio and his latest fifth at Newton Abbot suggests a return to form is imminent. He makes more appeal than Russian War, who has become a little disappointing, while Our Island and Paint The Clouds have both been off the track for a while. Fade To Grey is now on a career-high mark and Snake Charmer is better with some give in the ground but the latter's stablemate Pilgrims Lane is 10lb lower than over fences and has been in fair form of late.
Russian War (IRE) Evensfav (11-5) Held up in rear, jumped slowly early, hit 9th, headway next, mistake 4 out, well beaten after 2 out, 5th of 9, 26l behind Get It On (11-5) at Sedgefield 2m 4f beg chs (4) gd in Sep.
Buena Vista (IRE) 16-1 (11-12) Tracked leaders, led approaching 5th, headed next, weakened 8th, soon behind, 15th of 17, well behind Liberate (10-9) at Haydock 3m hcp hdl (2) gd in May.
Qulinton (FR) 14-1 (11-9) Mid-division, lost place after 2nd, reminders after 4th, headway before 8th, weakened before 4 out, 11th of 16, well behind Benny Be Good (11-8) at Market Rasen 2m 6f listed hcp chs (1) gd in Sep.
Alderley Rover (IRE) 16-1 (11-5) Towards rear and mistakes, never dangerous, 13th of 16, well behind Benny Be Good (11-8) at Market Rasen 2m 6f listed hcp chs (1) gd in Sep.
Raslan 7-1 (11-2) Led, ridden and headed between 3 out and 2 out, kept on same pace, 5th of 10, 12l behind King Of The Night (11-7) at Newton Abbot 2m 6f hcp hdl (2) gd.
Paint The Clouds 1-3fav (11-5) Pressed leader, jumped left and not always fluent, ridden approaching 2 out, led before last, clear flat, comfortably, won at Towcester 2m 6f nov chs (4) gf in May beating Downward Spiral (11-5) by 11l, 5 ran.
Fade To Grey (IRE) 7-2fav (11-3) Held up in rear, headway on outside from 8th, disputing 2nd 3 out, 3rd and beaten 2 out, soon weakened, 3rd of 8, 31l behind William Hogarth (11-0) at Ffos Las 3m hcp hdl 0-135 (3) gf in Aug.
Pilgrims Lane (IRE) 20-1 (11-0) Mid-division from 7th, stayed on from 3 out, 3rd and challenged last, stayed on same pace flat, 3rd of 13, 4l behind Ethiopia (9-7) at Chepstow 3m hcp chs 0-150 (2) gd.
Snake Charmer 12-1 (10-1) Held up in mid-division, headway after 7th, mistake next, challenged 3 out, led last, stayed on well, won at Fontwell 3m 3f hcp hdl 0-135 (3) gd in Sep beating Scotsbrook Cloud (11-5) by 4 1/2l, 10 ran.
Our Island (IRE) 33-1 (11-7) Chased leaders, mistake 4th, lost place approaching 6th, mistake 8th, hampered 2 out, stayed on approaching last, no chance with leaders, 7th of 18, 24l behind Bobs Worth (11-7) at Cheltenham 3m nov hdl Grade 1 (1) gd in Mar.
