led, joined 3 out, headed next, chased leader, 1 length down last, rallied run-in, stayed on under pressure to regain lead towards finish
chased leading pair, mistake 3rd, mistake and lost place 10th, behind next, soon lost touch, tailed off and pulled up before 4 out
held up, headway after 4th, mistake and lost place next, soon behind and struggling, tailed off and pulled up approaching 3 out
chased winner until 4 out, chased leaders, weakened before 2 out
held up, headway tracking leaders after 4th, not fluent 10th, pushed along before 4 out, weakened next
tracked leaders, 2nd 4 out, led 2 out, 1 length up last, rider dropped whip, pushed along run-in, headed towards finish
chased leaders, went 3rd before 2 out, no chance with leading duo
Mon Successeur was rallying close home when beaten less than a length by ROUGE ET BLANC at Newbury last week, but Oliver Sherwood's charge idled on the run-in having travelled strongly throughout and can confirm the form on identical terms. He may also be too good for Al Alfa in receipt of 9lb and gets 11lb from the novice Otago Trail, though the top weight probably has more scope than any of these. Chepstow runner-up Quite By Chance represents last year's stable and Caroline Keevil won it in 2013 so Midnight Lira also warrants respect, but Shammick Boy is best watched under an inexperienced claimer.
Otago Trail (IRE) 8-11fav (11-1) Led, hit 2 out, pressed when lunged at last, headed flat, stayed on, held close home, 2nd of 4, 1/2l behind On Tour (11-1) at Exeter 2m 1f (4) sft in Nov.
Al Alfa 7-1 (11-10) Tracked leaders on outside, went 2nd 5th, led 3 out, headed before last, one pace, 3rd of 13, 10 3/4l behind Roc D'apsis (11-0) at Stratford 2m 3f hcp (3) sft in Oct.
Shammick Boy (IRE) 10-1 (11-6) Mid-division, weakened before 5 out, pulled up before 3 out, at Fontwell 3m 3f hcp (3) sft in Nov.
Midnight Lira 20-1 (11-7) Mid-division, headway after 13th, challenged after next until before 4 out, jumped right and bumped 3 out, weakened flat, 5th of 13, 14 1/2l behind Saroque (11-6) at Exeter 3m hcp (3) sft in Nov.
Rouge Et Blanc (FR) 10-1 (11-7) Chased leaders, challenged 4 out, led before next, ridden and stayed on flat, won at Newbury 2m 2f hcp (3) sft in Nov beating Mon Successeur (11-6) by 3/4l, 8 ran.
Mon Successeur (FR) 11-4fav (11-6) Mid-division, headway 8th, challenged 4 out, ridden approaching last, 2 lengths down flat, stayed on to close towards finish, unable to challenge, 2nd of 8, 3/4l behind Rouge Et Blanc (11-7) at Newbury 2m 2f hcp (3) sft in Nov.
Quite By Chance 4-1fav (11-12) Always prominent, driven and effort 3 out, challenging in 3rd when hampered after last, stayed on well closing stages, finished 3rd promoted to 2nd, 3rd of 7, 3l behind Winston Churchill (10-9) at Chepstow 2m 3f hcp (4) hvy in Nov.
