not always fluent, in rear, well beaten 4 out
prominent early, tracked leaders, led 8th, headed 4 out, soon weakened
tracked leaders, mistake 3rd, mistake last, 2nd briefly flat, no extra towards finish
made most until mistake 8th, soon dropped out
held up towards rear, headway before 7th, led 4 out, jumped left and not fluent last, edged right towards finish, stayed on
mid-division, weakened before not fluent 4 out, pulled up before last
held up towards rear, headway 7th, close up when bumped 4 out, hung left before 2 out, not quicken flat
tracked leaders, lost place 7th, well beaten before 4 out
mid-division, some headway after 8th, no impression from 4 out
mid-division, headway after 8th, outpaced 2 out, rallied flat, went 3rd towards finish
mid-division, headway when mistake 5th, lost place and not fluent next, closed 8th, led before 4 out, soon headed, no extra next
in rear, mistake 6th, headway 8th, not fluent 3 out, no extra next
tracked leader, ridden 6th, lost place next, soon behind
held up towards rear, headway 8th, close up 3 out, stayed on flat, went 2nd towards finish, carried right, held by winner
Whitley Neill stayed on quite strongly in Class 2 contest at Worcester last month so has claims. Marble Moon is in the form of his life but facing a further 4lb rise and recent form has been let down. Laugharne was progressing nicely in the spring but SETTIMO MILANESE and winner Ready And Able pulled clear of the others at Aintree 10 days ago and Richard Newland’s in-form stayer is worth another chance of his new mark with Charlie Hammond taking off 5lb again. Ready And Able’s trainer Jonjo O’Neill runs Django Django and he will have benefited from his fifth at Stratford. Socksy isn’t badly treated back over hurdles but is having a first run since April.
Lord Ballim (FR) 15-2 (12-1) Raced keenly, slightly hampered 1st, held up in rear, good headway chasing leaders 9th, led 12th, hit next, ridden and headed 2 out, well held when lost 2 places towards finish, 4th of 11, 10 1/2l behind Sharp Response (11-12) at Carlisle 3m 2f hcp (3) gd in Oct.
Western Climate (IRE) 12-1 (10-12) Led until after 4 out, soon weakened, pulled up after 3 out, at Warwick 3m 1f hcp (3) gd in May.
Settimo Milanese (IRE) 5-1 (11-8) Tracked leaders, led 4 out, hard pressed 2 out, soon ridden, headed flat, no extra towards finish, 2nd of 16, 3l behind Ready And Able (11-8) at Aintree 3m 1f hcp (3) gd in Oct.
Master Tradesman (IRE) 7-2 (11-2) Always prominent, every chance 2 out, led final 100 yards, headed post, 2nd of 13, shd behind Merry Milan (11-2) at Bangor 2m 7f mdn (5) gs in Apr.
Django Django (FR) 9-2 (11-3) Held up in touch, chased leaders halfway, mistake 3 out, weakened before last, 5th of 8, 15 3/4l behind Vive Le Roi (10-9) at Stratford 2m 6f hcp (3) gd in Oct.
The Welsh Paddies (IRE) 12-1 (10-3) Held up in mid-division, not much room after 2 out, soon well beaten, 19th of 22, 27 1/2l behind Champagne Express (10-2) at Cheltenham 2m 4f hcp (2) gd in Apr.
Whitley Neill (IRE) 33-1 (11-0) Held up in rear, not fluent 4th, ridden 7th, headway approaching last, went 3rd flat, stayed on, 3rd of 13, 3 3/4l behind Monty's Award (10-10) at Worcester 2m 4f hcp (2) gd in Oct.
Judge Earle (IRE) 11-4 (10-12) Tracked sole rival, effort when not fluent 4 out and again next, every chance briefly 2 out, readily outpaced before last, no danger after, last of 2, 15l behind Rocky's Treasure (10-12) at Kelso 2m 7f (4) gd in Oct.
Marble Moon (IRE) 10-11fav (10-13) Made all, travelled well, ridden when challenged after after last, stayed on well, won at Hereford 3m 2f hcp (3) gf in Oct beating Some Kinda Lama (11-9) by 3/4l, 3 ran.
Laugharne 6-1 (11-6) Made most, ridden 2 out, pressed last, ran on gamely, won at Southwell 3m hcp (4) gd in May beating Ozzy Thomas (12-1) by 1 1/2l, 11 ran.
Socksy (IRE) 5-1 (11-5) Tracked leaders, slow 12th, effort 2 out, weakened before last, last of 7, 17 3/4l behind Midnight Target (10-13) at Cheltenham 2m 5f hcp lst (1) gd in Apr.
Frankly Speaking 9-1 (10-0) Held up towards rear, headway 4 out, 2nd after next, led 2 out, mistake last, headed flat, stayed on, 2nd of 12, 3/4l behind Bobo Mac (11-3) at Warwick 3m 1f hcp (3) gs in Apr.
Late Shipment 66-1 (9-0) Led until over 3f out, soon lost place, last of 9, 11 3/4l behind Garbanzo (9-8) at Ffos Las 1m 6f hcp (4) gs in Aug.
Royal Claret 4-1fav (10-0) In rear, ridden after 6th, headway on outside after 4 out, 2nd 3 out until before next, no extra last, 3rd of 10, 7 1/2l behind Solomn Grundy (11-12) at Ffos Las 3m hcp (3) sft in Apr.
