not fluent early, with leader, led 8th, headed 5 out, ridden and weakened next, soon eased
held up in touch, headway 4 out, led before 2 out, ridden and stayed on well flat
held up in rear, outpaced 13th, headway 4 out, soon ridden, kept on under pressure flat, took 2nd near finish
keen early, held up, headway 5 out, led next, ridden and headed before 2 out, one pace flat, lost 2nd near finish
held up when mistake and unseated rider 11th
tracked leaders, mistake 9th, led 5 out to next, ridden and weakened 2 out
led, hit 6th, headed 8th, chased leader until lost place 5 out, beaten when blundered next
Cloudy Lane comes into this in fine form having won his last two starts in good fashion but Don McCain's gelding has harshly been raised 11lbs for the latest of those successes and on this much faster ground he looks worth taking on, with the vote going to Gidam Gidam, who is preferred to Mr Pointment. The last mentioned is more than capable of taking the honours in this contest but this race is his final preparation for the Grand National and connections would not ideally want the gelding to carry a penalty for the Aintree spectacular as he already has 11-8 to carry there. Keith Reveley's Ungaro is also entered at Liverpool, as is Ferdy Murphy's reappearing Joes Edge, who has not been seen since being pulled up in last season's National. Both are probably best watched today and it may be worth siding with Gidam Gidam. James Mackie's six-year-old is unexposed over fences but has a nice racing weight and, without the worry of picking up a penalty for the National, he looks worth chancing.
Mr Pointment (IRE) 15-2 (11-5) Led after 3rd, ridden last, stayed on and under presssure flat, all out, won at Aintree 3m 2f lst hcp chs (1) gs in Nov beating Bewleys Berry (10-11) by 1l, 19 ran.
Cloudy Lane 11-10fav (11-12) Prominent in chasing group, went 2nd at 14th, led 2 out, kept on well, won at Ayr 3m 1f hcp chs 0-145 (2) hvy in Feb beating Another Rum (10-7) by 8l, 5 ran.
Ungaro (FR) 5-1 (11-10) Behind when fell at the 2nd in race won by Gungadu (11-12) at Kempton 3m hcp chs Grd 3 (1) gd in Feb, 15 ran.
Alderburn 10-1 (11-6) Held up towards rear, lost place 11th, 14th of 20, 39l behind An Accordion (10-3) at Doncaster 3m lst hcp chs (1) gd in Jan.
Joes Edge (IRE) 8-1co-fav (10-2) In touch, reminders and lost place 12th, weakened halfway, tailed off when pulled up at the 20th in race won by Silver Birch (10-6) at Aintree 4m 4f hcp chs Grd 3 (1) gd in Apr, 40 ran.
Lankawi 6-1 (11-7) Chased leader, led after 4th, hit 6th, headed 7th, weakened approaching last, 5th of 7, 9l behind Mister McGoldrick (11-12) at Wetherby 2m 3f lst hcp chs (1) gf in Nov.
Gidam Gidam (IRE) 25-1 (11-12) Prominent, ridden and one pace 4 out, 6th of 19, 11l behind King Harald (11-8) at Doncaster 4m hcp chs 0-140 (2) gd in Feb.
