chased leaders, fell 8th
made all, not fluent 13th, hit 3 out, clear next, driven out
held up, went 2nd 10th, pecked and unseated rider 14th
held up in touch, left 2nd 8th, lost place 10th, disputed 2nd from 15th, ridden 3 out, soon weakened
held up, mistake 4th, hampered 8th, weakened 16th, soon tailed off
held up in touch, disputed 2nd from 14th, ridden and mistake 3 out, soon weakened
Looks Like Trouble won this in 2000 prior to landing the Cheltenham Gold Cup and this year's renewal could be just as informative. King George third Bacchanal has not always looked at home jumping left handed and his performance here will decide whether Nicky Henderson runs the son of Bob Back in the Gold Cup or the Stayers' Hurdle at the Festival meeting. While a doubt remains about his jumping, he is probably best left alone. Henry Daly's Behrajan has been nursed back to form, after below par efforts in last year's Gold Cup and at Navan on his reappearance, to win at Ascot last month and has to be respected along with Thomas Pink winner Cyfor Malta, who has a good record here. Gingembre, who finished second past the post in the Hennessy faces a stiffer task today but is worth consideration, as is Henrietta Knight's Foly Pleasant who found only Fondmort too good in the Tripleprint last time. The selection though has to be Valley Henry. The Paul Nicholls-trained gelding had problems with his jumping as a novice last season but they have been ironed out this term and the son of Step Together has shown progressive form in winning Wincanton's Fieldspring Desert Orchid Chase and Sandown's GQ Future Stars Chase in his two outings so far. The eight-year-old jumped impressively on the latter occasion and, if he is to be a Gold Cup contender, the gelding needs to win this.
