mid-division on outside, headway after normal 3 out, weakened before omitted last
held up in mid-division, modest headway before normal 2 out, soon weakened
chased leaders, lost place after 5th, struggling 8th
mid-division, headway 4th, close 3rd normal 3 out, challenged after next, led before omitted last, stayed on well
prominent, led 6th, headed after normal 2 out, 4th and one pace bypassing omitted last
mid-division, pushed along before normal 3 out, never involved, plugged on flat
held up in rear, slow 7th and pushed along briefly, headway and switched right after normal 2 out, 3rd bypassing omitted last, no impression on winner, stayed on
mid-division, headway on inside normal 3 out, mistake next, soon beaten
led until 6th, led after 2 out, headed before omitted last, held after, stayed on
held up towards rear, jumped slowly 3rd, well beaten after normal 3 out
prominent until 3rd, tracked leaders, lost place when mistake 8th, soon behind
chased leaders, mistake 7th, not fluent normal 3 out, weakened before omitted last
chased leaders, weakened before omitted last, pulled up flat
always in rear
held up in rear, some headway before normal 2 out, soon weakened
This is likely to develop into a real war of attrition as Cole Harden, Reve De Sivola and Knockara Beau all like to force the pace. Ballyoptic had just been headed by UNOWHATIMEANHARRY in the Long Walk at Ascot when he came down but had earlier proved no match for Harry Fry’s prolific stayer in a Grade 2 at Newbury and there’s no reason to suspect that the latter won’t come out on top again, despite worse terms. Ptit Zig won a Grade 1 at Auteuil last summer but was well beaten in the Long Walk when a couple of lengths behind Un Temps Pour Tout, who ran in snatches. West Approach also looks held and the ex-French mare Kotkikova looks to be facing a stiff task along with Chepstow winner Shantou Bob.
Old Guard 20-1 (11-12) Towards rear and raced wide, pushed along in mid-division and no impression after 3 out, kept on under strong pressure pressure run-in, went never nearer 4th post, 4th of 13, 9 3/4l behind Modus (11-4) at Kempton 2m 5f hcp lst (1) gs in Jan.
Ptit Zig (FR) 8-1 (11-7) Tracked leading pair, in 4th place after 2nd, weakened 2 out, left modest 4th last, 4th of 11, 19 3/4l behind Unowhatimeanharry (11-7) at Ascot 3m (1) gs in Dec.
Reve De Sivola (FR) 33-1 (11-7) Led until after 2nd, tracked leader until before 9th, soon pushed along, chased leaders, weakened before next, 6th of 11, 37 3/4l behind Unowhatimeanharry (11-7) at Ascot 3m (1) gs in Dec.
Unowhatimeanharry 6-5fav (11-7) Held up towards rear, 3rd travelling well after 3 out, 2nd between last two, slight lead and travelling well when left clear last, won at Ascot 3m (1) gs in Dec beating Lil Rockerfeller (11-7) by 4 1/2l, 11 ran.
Ballyoptic (IRE) 8-1 (11-7) Tracked leaders, in lead after 2nd, pushed along before 2 out, narrowly headed when fell last, at Ascot 3m (1) gs in Dec.
Un Temps Pour Tout (IRE) 16-1 (11-7) Held up in 5th place, pushed along before 9th, soon outpaced, struggling in 10th place after 3 out, plugging on but no chance when left modest 3rd last, 3rd of 11, 18 1/2l behind Unowhatimeanharry (11-7) at Ascot 3m (1) gs in Dec.
West Approach 40-1 (11-7) Tracked clear leading pair, closer in 2nd before 9th, every chance when not fluent 2 out, ridden and lost 2nd between last two, 3rd and held when mistake and unseated rider last, at Ascot 3m (1) gs in Dec.
Kotkikova (FR) 7-1 (11-3) Held up behind leaders, 6th halfway, improved into 3rd before 8th, ridden and no extra entering straight, 6th and kept on one pace before last, left 5th, 5th of 8, 9 1/2l behind Vroum Vroum Mag (11-3) at Leopardstown 3m (1) Yielding in Dec.
Cole Harden (IRE) 7-1 (11-0) Led, ridden and headed before last, stayed on same pace, no impression on front pair, 3rd of 6, 7 1/4l behind Agrapart (11-4) at Cheltenham 2m 4f (1) sft in Jan.
Henri Parry Morgan 11-1 (11-1) Mid-division, jumped slowly 3rd, headway next, close 3rd when fell 4 out, at Cheltenham 2m 5f hcp (1) sft in Jan.
Knockara Beau (IRE) 20-1 (11-2) With leader, led 3 out, headed before last, soon weakened, 3rd of 10, 12 1/2l behind Milborough (10-3) at Carlisle 3m 1f hcp (2) sft in Dec.
Shantou Bob (IRE) 10-1 (11-11) Towards rear, mistake and ridden 6th, headway 4 out, close 2nd before last, led flat, stayed on well, won at Chepstow 3m hcp (2) sft in Dec beating Rolling Dylan (10-12) by nk, 17 ran.
The Romford Pele (IRE) 11-1 (11-0) Held up in touch, lost place before 5 out, weakened next, pulled up before 3 out, at Newbury 3m (1) sft in Nov.
The Young Master 10-1 (11-3) Mid-division, well beaten from 17th, fell 2 out, at Aintree 3m 2f hcp (1) gs in Dec.
Whataknight 1-5fav (11-4) Jumped left, not always fluent, tracked leaders, led before 11th, clear from 14th, easily, won at Hereford 3m 1f (4) gd in Oct beating Sage Monkey (11-4) by dist, 4 ran.
