held up towards rear, blundered badly 2nd, not recover and behind until pulled up before 7th
mid-division, mistake 5th, driven 13th, weakened after 17th, pulled up after
held up in rear, headway 11th, not fluent 13th, outpaced before 5 out, went 4th 3 out, unable to challenge, no extra final 100 yards
chased leaders, not fluent and lost place 8th, behind next, mistake 11th, pulled up before 13th
chased leaders on inside, lost place before 2nd, pecked 4th, not fluent 5th or 11th, soon ridden, behind 14th, tailed off 17th, pulled up after
mid-division, ridden and effort after 17th, weakened before 5 out, pulled up after
led until not fluent 2nd, led 7th until 8th, hit 10th, led 13th, headed next, led 4 out, headed 3 out, mistake 2 out, led towards finish, headed close home
chased leaders, led 8th, headed 10th, ridden 14th, weakened next, pulled up on landing 16th
held up in rear, mid-division when not fluent 15th, never on terms, struggling when mistake 5 out, pulled up after
held up towards rear, not fluent 6th, fell 8th
prominent, outpaced 5 out, weakened approaching 3 out
towards rear, mistake 3rd, struggling 10th, tailed off 17th, pulled up after
mid-division, not fluent 13th, headway 17th, weakened before 5 out, tailed off
held up in rear, headway on outside before 6th, weakened before 4 out, pulled up after
prominent, led 2nd until not fluent 7th, led 10th, headed 13th, led next, hit 4 out and headed, outpaced 2 out, rallied from last, led close home
prominent until 7th, struggling 12th, weakened before 5 out
mid-division, in touch briefly after 7th, weakened before 5 out
tracked leaders, every chance 4 out, weakened from next
tracked leaders, not fluent 5th, led 3 out, driven flat, headed towards finish
This looks as wide-open as ever with Mountainous looking to follow up his victory of 12 months ago. He's only 3lb higher but is closely matched with runner-up Hawkes Point and fourth One In A Milan and has plenty to find on subsequent form against Emperor's Choice and Rebeccas Choice. The latter beat Amigo and Hawkes Point in the trial for this here at the start of the month, though has a longer trip to cover today and also a 4lb penalty. Newbury scorer Woodford County is also penalised but Summery Justice could be interesting after a pipe-opener at Lingfield while Irish raider Glenquest gets in off bottom weight and could stay on into a place. Monbeg Dude, winner of this in 2012, was an excellent fourth in the Hennessy but the handicapper appears to have him firmly in his grip. Shotgun Paddy and the hat-trick-seeking Gas Line Boy also appear to have plenty of weight. Paul Nicholls saddled the second and third last year and can go one better this time with BENVOLIO. He never threatened in the race won by the eventually disqualified The Young Master at Wincanton on his reappearance but stayed on late giving the impression this stamina test will be right up his street. This will be only his second start in a handicap over fences so maybe the assessor hasn't quite got him where he wants him just yet and he beat Midnight Prayer off level weights at Newbury just under a year ago.
Shotgun Paddy (IRE) 20-1 (11-0) Raced wide, chased clear leading pair until lost place 4th, last pair and never on terms after, struggling 8th, tailed off, 5th of 6, well behind Medinas (11-0) at Newbury 3m hdl G2 (1) sft in Nov.
Gas Line Boy (IRE) 9-2 (11-12) With leaders, hit 5th, led next, clear before 4 out, not fluent last, stayed on strongly, won at Haydock 3m 5f hcp chs 0-135 (3) sft in Nov beating Emperor's Choice (11-12) by 13l, 8 ran.
Monbeg Dude (IRE) 25-1 (11-1) Held up towards rear, steady headway before 3 out, went modest 4th at the last, kept on run-in but no chance with leading trio, 4th of 19, 20l behind Many Clouds (11-6) at Newbury 3m 2f Grade 3 hcp chs (4yo+) (1) sft in Nov.
Mart Lane (IRE) 11-1 (11-4) Tracked leaders on inside, not fluent 14th, weakened before 2 out, 7th of 13, 20l behind Roalco De Farges (10-11) at Cheltenham 3m 1f hcp chs (2) gs in Oct.
Mountainous (IRE) 12-1 (11-9) Chased leaders, hampered and lost place 3rd, soon towards rear, pushed along disputing 5th when mistake 5 out, disputing 4th next, no impression 2 out, soon weakened, 5th of 9, 33l behind Rebeccas Choice (10-11) at Chepstow 3m hcp chs 0-145 (2) gs.
Hawkes Point 5-1 (11-1) Chased leaders, not fluent 2nd and next, pushed along before 5 out, soon one pace, went poor 3rd in closing stages, 3rd of 9, 15l behind Rebeccas Choice (10-11) at Chepstow 3m hcp chs 0-145 (2) gs.
Benvolio (IRE) 8-1 (11-1) Towards rear, ridden 10th, headway 4 out, no impression 2 out, stayed on flat, 4th of 18, 13l behind Court By Surprise (11-7) at Wincanton 3m 1f listed hcp chs (1) gs in Nov.
Victors Serenade (IRE) 15-2 (11-6) In touch on outside, mistake 2nd, lost place 14th, soon weakened, tailed off when pulled up before 2 out, in a race won by Hey Big Spender (11-12) at Newcastle 3m listed hcp chs (1) sft in Nov, 9 ran.
Edmund Kean (IRE) 25-1 (10-0) Towards rear, mistake 14th, hampered 17th, soon lost place, pulled up, in a race won by Al Co (10-0) at Ayr 4m hcp chs G3 (1) gs in Apr, 29 ran.
One In A Milan (IRE) 8-1 (10-13) Tracked leader to 5 out, lost 2nd last, kept on and regained 2nd place near finish, no chance with winner, 3rd of 6, 2 3/4l behind Tullyesker Hill (11-12) at Chepstow 3m hcp hdl 0-125 (3) sft in Nov.
Benbens (IRE) 14-1 (10-8) Tracked leaders when mistake and unseated rider 12th, in a race won by Oscar Time (10-12) at Aintree 3m 2f hcp chs G3 (1) gs, 25 ran.
Summery Justice (IRE) 11-4 (11-10) Tracked leading pair, pushed along before 3 out, ridden before next, chased winner when blundered last, kept on, no impression flat, 2nd of 4, 4l behind West End Rocker (11-7) at Lingfield 3m hcap ch (2) hvy.
Rebeccas Choice (IRE) 16-1 (10-11) Chased leaders, went 3rd 11th, 2nd before 3 out, led narrowly 2 out, strongly pressed last, stayed on under pressure to assert run-in, won at Chepstow 3m hcp chs 0-145 (2) gs beating Amigo (11-0) by 3/4l, 9 ran.
Dark Glacier (IRE) 8-1 (11-11) Towards rear, pushed along 13th, tailed off 6 out, pulled up 4 out, in a race won by Gas Line Boy (11-12) at Haydock 3m 5f hcp chs 0-135 (3) sft in Nov, 8 ran.
Emperor's Choice (IRE) 11-4fav (11-7) Tracked leader, slow 14th, mistake 18th, hard driven before 3 out, weakened after next, 4th of 6, 11l behind Tales Of Milan (10-8) at Sandown 3m 5f hcp chs 0-150 (2) sft.
Amigo (FR) 9-2 (11-0) Chased leader, led before 7th, pushed along before 5 out, narrowly headed 2 out, chased winner and driven to rally last, no extra run-in, 2nd of 9, 3/4l behind Rebeccas Choice (10-11) at Chepstow 3m hcp chs 0-145 (2) gs.
Woodford County 2-1fav (11-5) Tracked leading trio, left 3rd 12th, went 2nd 17th until 4 out, 2nd again and slight peck 3 out, ridden to narrow lead last, stayed on under pressure and in command final 150 yards, won at Newbury 3m 2f am hcp chs 0-125 (3) sft in Nov beating Itoldyou (10-10) by 1 1/4l, 5 ran.
Handy Andy (IRE) 13-8fav (11-7) Chased leader 2nd until hit 6th and next, lost place 12th, rallied into 3rd 14th, went 2nd again and hit 18th, pushed along and dropped to 3rd before 3 out, driven and one pace before next, stayed on into 2nd again close home, 2nd of 6, 1 1/2l behind Firm Order (11-2) at Sandown 3m amat hcap chs (3) sft.
Glenquest (IRE) 4-1 (10-10) Led, headed before 11th, ridden before last, kept on, 4th of 10, 7l behind Diocles (10-8) at Kelso 2m 7f hcp chs (2) sft.
Midnight Prayer 20-1 (10-5) Chased leaders, driven along before 4 out, weakened before next, 9th of 19, 45l behind Many Clouds (11-6) at Newbury 3m 2f Grade 3 hcp chs (4yo+) (1) sft in Nov.
