led, headed before 7th, led after 10th, headed just after 2 out, stayed on gamely, every chance final 75 yards, just held
raced keenly, held up, closed 3rd, led before 7th, headed after 10th, lost place before 3 out, soon weakened
chased leaders, mistake 4 out then went 2nd, challenging when not fluent 2 out, soon led, hard pressed final 75 yards, held on gamely
held up in rear, jumped slowly at times, closed 18th, went close 3rd 3 out, weakened before last, lost 3rd flat
chased leaders, lost place before 5th, headway 16th, outpaced before 3 out, soon well held, went 3rd flat
chased leader, not fluent 3rd, lost 2nd 6th, slow next, pushed along 15th, last 17th, behind 18th, pulled up before 3 out
NonRunner
NonRunner
NonRunner
Yala Enki placed twice in this grade last season and won at Taunton in between, though gets little respite from the handicapper. West Approach is 6lb higher than when landing this 12 months ago but ran the ideal prep race behind Frodon here last month when Cloth Cap was a distant third. Discorama finished well ahead of Brave Eagle in the Ultima here in March and will strip fitter for a run at Galway and Ramses De Teillee, in good form at the start of the year, finished fifth in a Grade 1 hurdle at Auteuil last month. CAPTAIN DRAKE (NAP) was second in the Midlands Grand National in the spring so stamina won’t be a problem. He made a winning return to action in a handicap hurdle at Uttoxeter and is an improving young stayer who is still on a decent mark.
Yala Enki (FR) 11-4fav (11-7) Prominent, mistake 18th, 4th and struggling 3 out, well beaten next, went 3rd before last, 3rd of 10, 20 1/2l behind Smooth Stepper (10-0) at Haydock 3m 4f hcp (1) hvy in Feb.
Discorama (FR) 7-4 (12-0) Tracked leader in 2nd, closer 4 out, ridden and no impression early run-in, under pressure and kept on well, carried right close home, just failed, 2nd of 3, shd behind Milan Native (11-10) at Galway 2m 7f sft in Oct.
Ramses De Teillee (FR) (10-10) 5th of 11, 27 1/4l behind Paul's Saga (10-5) at Auteuil 3m 1f hvy in Oct.
West Approach 15-2 (10-9) Held up in touch, took closer order 16th, chased leader 2 out, ridden before last, ran on flat, 2nd of 10, 1 1/2l behind Frodon (11-12) at Cheltenham 3m 1f hcp (2) gd in Oct.
Big River (IRE) 20-1 (10-8) Mid-division, dropped towards rear 8th, headway under pressure 3 out, chased leaders next, ridden and rallied flat, not reach leaders, 5th of 23, 3l behind The Conditional (10-6) at Cheltenham 3m 1f hcp (1) sft in Mar.
Captain Drake (IRE) 5-1 (11-12) With leaders, pushed along before 3 out, ridden to challenge 2 out, led approaching last, stayed on well flat, won at Uttoxeter 2m 7f hcp (2) gs in Oct beating As I See It (11-4) by 1l, 13 ran.
Brave Eagle (IRE) 13-2 (11-5) Held up in touch, lost ground into midfield 5th, reminders 9th, slow jump 11th, ridden and detached from main group 12th, no extra, 5th of 7, 22 1/2l behind Secret Investor (11-2) at Chepstow 3m hcp (2) gd in Oct.
Crievehill (IRE) 25-1 (11-7) Prominent, led before 4 out, headed after 3 out, weakened from next, 8th of 12, 15 3/4l behind Nuts Well (11-10) at Aintree 2m 4f hcp (1) sft in Oct.
Cloth Cap (IRE) 13-2 (10-0) Held up towards rear, headway 13th, slow jump 16th, close up 3 out when ridden, kept on one pace from 2 out, 3rd of 10, 15 1/2l behind Frodon (11-12) at Cheltenham 3m 1f hcp (2) gd in Oct.
