chased leader, blundered badly and unseated rider 9th
always behind, lost touch 10th, pulled up after 13th
mid-division, headway 10th, ridden 12th, one pace from 3 out
soon led, headed 9th, closed up until weakened 12th, tailed off and pulled up before 2 out
in touch, not fluent 8th and lost place, ridden and outpaced 13th, stayed on to go 3rd from 3 out
prominent, chased leaders 11th, led 12th, mistake 13th, ridden 4 out, headed 3 out, looked tired from last
held up towards rear, headway after 13th, ridden to lead 3 out, driven out
chased leader, led 9th to 12th, weakened and mistake 4 out
mid-division, ridden 11th, soon weakened, pulled up before 4 out
Point-to-point winner The Empty Tin has to be respected on his rules debut for Paul Nicholls but most of the yard's runners have tended to need the run first time out this season and a safer bet may be Rimsky, who gets the vote ahead of Minella Tipperary. The last mentioned showed progressive form over hurdles last term and made a promising start to his chase career at Cheltenham last month. With normal improvement expected the Phillip Hobbs-trained gelding should be thereabouts today. Emma Lavelle's Marcus looks to be going the right way over hurdles but faces no easy task first time over the larger obstacles, while Leading Authority needs to improve on all known form to trouble the judge. The vote then goes to the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Rimsky who was the best of these over hurdles and looks likely to be at least as good over fences judged by his reappearance second at Chepstow last month.
Curragh View (IRE) 20-1 (11-2) Jumped left, chased leader until 7th, soon weakened, tailed off when pulled up at the last in race won by After Midnight (9-13) at Cheltenham 2m 5f cnd hcp hdl 0-120 (3) gd in Nov '06, 20 ran.
Devil's Creek (IRE) (12-0) won at Kilfeacle 3m ire ptp in Jan '06 deadheating with Zero To Hero (12-0), 15 ran.
Dream Falcon 25-1 (11-4) Mid-division, ridden 10th, soon weakened, 5th of 6, 38l behind Buena Vista (11-4) at Exeter 2m 3f nov chs (2) sft in Dec.
Kirbys Glen (IRE) 22-1 (10-6) In touch, jumped right 2nd, weakening when pulled up 5 out in race won by Prince De Bersy (10-10) at N Abbot 2m 3f cnd mdn hdl (5) gf in Sept, 13 ran.
Leading Authority (IRE) 8-1 (11-2) Prominent, went 2nd from 5th until 9th, weakened 4 out, 8th of 12, 34l behind Money Order (11-2) at Bangor 2m 4f beg chs (4) gs.
Marcus 50-1 (11-0) Mid-division, led after 7th, pushed along approaching last, clear run-in, won at Wincanton 2m 6f nh nov hdl (2) gs in Feb beating Trigger The Light (11-5) by 6l, 16 ran.
Minella Tipperary (IRE) 9-2 (11-0) In touch, hit 14th, beaten when blundered badly 2 out, tailed off, 4th of 8, well behind Joe Lively (11-5) at Cheltenham 3m nov chs (2) gd in Oct.
Rimsky (IRE) 5-4fav (11-4) Towards rear, headway 12th, chased winner from 5 out, hung left and no impression, 2nd of 10, 6l behind Michael Muck (11-4) at Chepstow 3m beg chs (4) gs in Oct.
The Empty Tin (IRE) (12-0) won at Ballybragget 3m ire ptp soft/hvy in Mar beating Bad Dog John (12-0) by 1 1/2l, 12 ran.
