chased leaders, lost place 4th, not fluent 8th, mistake 4 out, soon well held, kept on flat
chased leaders, closed 8th, mistake 4 out, soon weakened
held up in touch in mid-division, not fluent 1st, closed before 7th, not fluent 2 out, held in 4th after, stayed on same pace
chased leader, led 8th, headed next, not fluent 13th, led after 5 out, clear from 2 out, eased close home
held up in rear, not fluent 1st, slow 3rd, effort 4 out, no impression when mistake 2 out
mid-division, headway 10th, mistake next, outpaced 5 out, weakened from next
towards rear, not fluent 2nd, headway from 10th, went 2nd before 3 out, no impression on winner next, stayed on
always towards rear
mid-division, lost place 12th, well held 4 out, kept on flat
led, clear after 2nd until 6th, headed 8th, led headed after 5 out, 3rd and held from 2 out, kept on
NonRunner
These veteran chases are usually competitive but can be difficult to decipher. Sir Ivan popped up in an earlier leg of the series at Newbury in March and was later third at Aintree. Dancing Shadow runs well fresh and finished third in this last year when Kempton specialist Double Shuffle was tailed off. Potters Corner goes well here and so does Vieux Lion Rouge, the winner in 2019. INDY FIVE (NAP) was headed right on the line on his return to action last season. Though unraced since a third at Haydock in December, he’s probably the pick of the weights today with Brian Hughes booked on his first run for a new yard. Geordie Des Champs won twice over hurdles at the start of the summer but hasn’t won over fences in well over three years.
Vieux Lion Rouge (FR) 66-1 (10-5) Mid-division, headway after 16th, 8th when fell 20th, at Aintree 4m 2f hcp (1) gs in Apr.
Double Shuffle (IRE) 66-1 (10-2) Prominent until fell 12th, at Aintree 4m 2f hcp (1) gs in Apr.
Sir Ivan 16-1 (11-9) Chased winner until after 2 out, not fluent last, kept on, 3rd of 8, 12 1/4l behind Burbank (11-2) at Aintree 3m 1f hcp (2) gd in May.
Some Chaos (IRE) 28-1 (10-13) Mid-division, mistake 3rd, closed from 13th, mistake 22nd, soon weakened, pulled up before 3 out, at Ayr 4m hcp (1) gd in Apr.
Geordie Des Champs (IRE) 11-8fav (11-12) Held up in rear, travelling strongly 2 out, joined leader before last, kept on, just held on, won at Ffos Las 3m hcp (3) gf in Jun beating Jersey Wonder (11-10) by nk, 3 ran.
Soupy Soups (IRE) 14-1 (10-7) Midfield when hampered by faller 2nd, soon nudged in rear, ridden after 9th, tailed off when pulled up before 4 out, at Perth 3m hcp (2) gd in Jun.
Vivas (FR) 4-1 (10-13) Raced keenly, held up in last pair, closer at 10th, pushed along before hit 14th, blundered and unseated rider 16th, at Warwick 3m 1f hcp (3) gd in Sep.
Asockastar (IRE) 9-1 (11-10) Chased leaders, pushed along after 12th, weakened before 2 out, 4th of 5, dist behind Quartz Du Rheu (11-2) at Worcester 2m 7f hcp (3) gd in Sep.
Indy Five (IRE) 6-5fav (10-0) Chased leaders, went 2nd after 10th, hit 11th, lost 2nd 5 out, ridden in 3rd before 3 out where mistake and weakened, 3rd of 7, 15 1/4l behind Late Romantic (10-8) at Haydock 3m 2f hcp (2) hvy in Dec.
Dancing Shadow (IRE) 10-3jfav (12-3) Led, clear 2nd until 7th, headed 13th, soon led again, mistake 16th, pressed when mistake and unseated rider 4 out, at Chepstow 3m 7f hcp (4) gd in Mar.
Potters Corner (IRE) 22-1 (10-6) Mid-division, struggling from 17th, pulled up before 22nd (bechers 2nd time), at Aintree 4m 2f hcp (1) gs in Apr.
