held up towards rear, smooth headway tracking leaders when blundered 2 out, mistake last, kept on after but not recover
towards rear of mid-division, headway chasing leaders 4 out, weakened before 2 out, pulled up before the last
off the pace and always towards rear
held up towards rear, headway out wide chasing leaders before 4 out, driven and stayed on same pace in 4th run-in
held up and behind, mistake 4th, some headway out wide 3 out, hung left and weakened home turn
mid-division, headway on inside chasing leaders before 3 out, went 2nd before last, ridden and lost 2nd run-in, no extra in 3rd
chased leader until before the last, ridden and weakened run-in
led, ridden and strongly pressed run-in, soon headed and no extra
mid-division, weakened tailed off 3 out, pulled up after next
held up towards rear, pushed along and struggling before 2 out, pulled up home turn
towards rear, behind at 3rd, tailed off and pulled up before 4 out
mid-division on inside, headway chasing leaders before 2 out, went 2nd run-in, led final 150 yards, soon clear
chased leaders on inside, weakened quickly before 3 out, tailed off and pulled up before next
tracking leaders on inside when ran out approaching 4 out
NonRunner
ONLYAMATTEROFTIME has been a big market mover over the course of the last week and he is of obvious interest now he’s trained by Willie Mullins and is in off the proverbial feather weight. There will be no hiding place in this affair as the pace is likely to be frenetic with both Knickerbockerglory and recent course and distance winner Lookaway in the field. Nemean Lion had some decent form on the Flat in France and was unextended when dotting up at Ffos Las last month. He was ahead of Gin Coco on that occasion though Harry Fry’s inmate is respected given he finished a valiant second in last year’s renewal. L'eau Du Sud missed the Scottish Champion Hurdle when the going changed but with just three runs under his belt, the grey could literally be anything.
Nemean Lion (GER) 3-1jfav (11-4) Chased leaders, went 2nd approaching 3 out, led before 2 out, pushed along and faced challenge approaching last, went clear with runner-up flat, ran on well, always doing enough, won at Ffos Las 2m hcp (2) gs in Oct beating Anyharminasking (11-2) by 1 1/2l, 10 ran.
Too Friendly 17-2 (11-2) Chased leaders, headway before 3 out, chased winner last, ran on, 2nd of 5, 2 3/4l behind Rubaud (11-8) at Kempton 2m lst (1) gd in Oct.
Anyharminasking (IRE) 14-1 (11-2) Front mid-division, headway travelling strongly after 3 out, ridden and pressed leader approaching last, soon went clear with winner, kept on and drifted left run-in, always held, 2nd of 10, 1 1/2l behind Nemean Lion (11-4) at Ffos Las 2m hcp (2) gs in Oct.
Sonigino (FR) 6-1 (11-13) Front mid-division, went 3rd 3 out, pushed along and led after 2 out, not fluent last, ridden and headed run-in, no extra, 3rd of 14, 3 1/4l behind Pyramid Place (10-13) at Chepstow 2m 3f hcp (2) hvy in Oct.
Punctuation 9-4fav (9-1) Held up in rear, switched right and headway on outside from over 3f out, went 2nd over 1f out, edged left, led well inside final furlong, stayed on well, won at York 2m hcp (3) sft in Oct beating Arrange (9-4) by 3/4l, 9 ran.
Luccia 11-8fav (11-2) Close up, not fluent 4th, went 2nd from before 3 out, kept on but always held by winner, 2nd of 6, 3l behind You Wear It Well (11-3) at Wetherby 2m lst (1) sft in Nov.
Knickerbockerglory (IRE) 10-1 (11-2) Led 2nd, made most after, came clear from 2 out, easily, won at Ascot 2m hcp (2) sft in Nov beating Altobelli (11-3) by 4 1/4l, 12 ran.
Lookaway (IRE) 9-2 (11-2) Made all, not fluent 5th, briefly pressed for lead 2 out, soon ridden, a length ahead approaching last, stayed on well run-in, won at Cheltenham 2m (1) gd in Oct beating Kamsinas (11-2) by 2 3/4l, 8 ran.
Swaffham Bulbeck (IRE) 14-1 (12-0) Chased leaders, led 3 out, not fluent 2 out, headed before last, no impression on winner flat, 2nd of 12, 8l behind Chance A Tune (10-6) at Chepstow 2m hcp (3) hvy in Oct.
L'eau Du Sud (FR) 9-1 (11-2) Midfield, ridden before 3 out, headway to be prominent 2 out where not fluent, disputed 2nd approaching last, weakened into 3rd run-in, 3rd of 16, 5 1/2l behind Benson (11-5) at Kelso 2m hcp (2) gs in Mar.
Afadil (FR) 9-2jfav (11-1) Midfield, ridden and no impression before last, kept on same pace run-in, 7th of 18, 14l behind Our Champ (10-5) at Cheltenham 2m hcp (3) gd in Oct.
Iberico Lord (FR) 15-2 (11-5) Held up towards rear on inside, headway home turn, switched right between last two, went 2nd run-in and closed on winner, always just held, 2nd of 15, 1/2l behind Under Control (11-5) at Sandown 2m hcp (2) sft in Apr.
Go Dante 6-1 (11-3) Held up in rear, headway on outside before not fluent 3 out, no extra from 2 out, 8th of 20, 23l behind Punctuation (11-5) at Aintree 2m hcp (2) sft in Apr.
Hey Johnny (IRE) 22-1 (11-6) Tracked leaders, 6th halfway, 8th and no impression 2 out, pushed along and some headway in 5th at last, ridden and no impression run-in, 6th of 15, 13 1/4l behind El Champo (11-0) at Galway 2m hcp hvy in Oct.
Onlyamatteroftime (IRE) 3-1fav (11-10) Towards rear, progress before 3 out, stayed on in 3rd before last where ran out, at Cork 2m 3f hcp Good - Yielding in Aug.
Gin Coco (FR) 4-1 (11-4) Rear mid-division, effort and headway before 2 out, kept on but never threatened, 5th of 10, 11 3/4l behind Nemean Lion (11-4) at Ffos Las 2m hcp (2) gs in Oct.
