soon in rear, ridden along 10th, tailed off from 14th
mid-division, ridden along 12th, behind when pulled up before 4 out
always in touch, ridden along approaching 4 out, soon one pace
led to after 2nd, led 6th headed after 12th, led against approaching 14th, soon clear easily
in touch till ridden and weakened 8th, pulled up before 10th
mid-division, mistake 9th, pulled up before 11th
mid-division, hampered 4th, tailed from 13th
prominent, ridden approaching 5 out, weakened when mistake 3 out, pulled up before next
prominent, tracked leaders, led briefly 13th, chased winner from next, always held
mid-division when fell 4th (ditch)
mid-division, ridden and weakened 11th, behind when pulled up before 14th
prominent, led 3rd to 5th, soon pushed along tailed off from 8th
mid-division, headway 12th to track leaders, went 3rd 14th, soon one pace
Having had a couple of pipe openers over hurdles this term, the Paul Nicholls-trained Existential is interesting back over fences, especially if he jumps better than when last seen over the larger obstacles but he will need to be on top of his game to get the better of Hiers de Brouage, who gets the vote. The selection has a string of credible efforts to his name this term and lost no caste in defeat on his most recent start when chasing home the well handicapped Waterlaw, a winner again since, at Wincanton on Boxing Day. Racing off the same mark again here, the nine-year-old is the obvious choice. Top weight Samuel Wilderspin has not won for two years but still retains ability at the age of 12. However, it is likely that there are better handicapped rivals in opposition here. Another General did well as a novice last season but has struggled in handicaps this term so a bigger danger may be Robert Alner's Twisted Logic, who is a consistent performer but probably needs dropping a few pounds. Ballybrophy is capable but has been pulled up in both starts this term, while Lord Moose gave little sign of encouragement on his return from an absence at Cheltenham, in which Toulouse-Lautrec was also pulled up, earlier this month. Very few of these are in form at present so it is difficult to get away from the claims of Hiers de Brouage, who gets the vote.