led, niggled along from 8th, reminder 14th, headed 4 out, no impression on winner from next, hanging left after 2 out
held up in touch in rear, jumped left at times, closed 12th, every chance 4 out, ridden and no impression on winner from next
prominent until bad mistake 13th, not recover and well held after
prominent, led 4 out, clear 2 out, stayed on well, eased towards finish
Kings Palace was more likely to run at Newbury yesterday but would be the one to beat if turning up here instead as he's a top-class novice. Masters Hill appeared to step up on his second to TINKER TIME at Newbury when going close at Kempton but the latter may just have his measure again and is preferred to Just A Par, who was more like his old self when fourth at Cheltenham. Fingal Bay continues to be let down by his jumping over the larger obstacles.
Just A Par (IRE) 8-1 (11-10) Prominent, led 5th until next, led 7th, headed 11th, led 14th until 16th, driven before 2 out, stayed on same pace flat, lost 3rd close home, 4th of 13, 4 1/2l behind Mon Parrain (11-7) at Cheltenham 3m 2f hcp chs 0-145 (2) gs in Jan.
Fingal Bay (IRE) 6-1 (11-8) Chased leaders, weakened before 17th, last before 4 out, clambered over 3 out and pulled up, in a race won by Many Clouds (11-6) at Newbury 3m 2f Grade 3 hcp chs (4yo+) (1) sft in Nov, 19 ran.
Tinker Time (IRE) 12-1 (10-10) Off the pace in 7th, pushed along and struggling when not fluent 16th (water), tailed off, 7th of 11, 37l behind Unioniste (11-6) at Sandown 3m hcp chs (2) sft in Jan.
Masters Hill (IRE) 9-2 (11-3) Mistake 1st, tracked leaders, 2nd 4 out, led before went badly left and stumbled 3 out, went left again next, driven and 1 length ahead when went left again last, narrowly headed 100 yards out, rallied gamely, just failed, 2nd of 9, shd behind Ardkilly Witness (11-4) at Kempton 3m hcp chs 0-145 (2) sft in Jan.
Kings Palace (IRE) Evensfav (11-9) Made all, not fluent 4th, shaken up and went clear flat, easily, won at Cheltenham 3m 1f nov chs (2) gs in Dec beating Sausalito Sunrise (11-6) by 7l, 4 ran.