tracked leaders, not fluent 6th, ridden and lost place 7th, struggling from next, tailed off
close up, ridden 3 out, outpaced from next, tailed off
led, joined 5th, clear with one other next, reduced lead 4 out, headed next, weakened 2 out, tailed off
in touch in rear, headway to join leader 5th, clear with leader next, led 3 out, ridden and soon headed, outpaced next
in touch, not fluent 7th, ridden and headway to chase clear winner when hit 2 out, soon outpaced by winner
tracked leaders, chased clear leading pair 6th, closed 4 out, led soon after 3out, clear approaching 2 out, eased flat
Welland ran well on his reappearance last season but has only raced once since. The Knot Is Tied has become expensive to follow and Cremant needs some help from the handicapper. ENVOI DE LA COUR has been dropped a further pound since his latest third at Worcester and gets a tentative vote in a tricky finale ahead of Soldier On Parade with Voice Of Hope looking weighted to the hilt on his Irish form.
Voice Of Hope (IRE) 12-1 (11-2) Tracked leaders, pushed along 3 out, gradually faded, 4th of 9, 26 1/2l behind Rattle Owl (11-5) at Sedgefield 2m 4f (4) gd in Sep.
Welland 9-2 (11-4) Prominent, ridden and lost place bypassing 3 out, weakened before bypassed 2 out, 6th of 8, 19 1/2l behind Percy Pops (11-6) at Doncaster 2m 1f hcp (4) hvy in Dec.
Soldier On Parade 14-1 (11-12) Led, ridden 2 out, pressed and headed well before last, kept on, no extra, 2nd of 12, 5l behind Just Call Me Al (11-5) at Sedgefield 2m 4f hcp (4) gs in Sep.
Envol De La Cour (FR) 6-1 (11-8) Pulled hard, headway chasing leaders 2nd, led next, strongly pressed 3 out, soon ridden, headed next, kept on same pace in 3rd, 3rd of 7, 5 1/2l behind Translink (11-3) at Worcester 2m 4f hcp (4) gs in Sep.
Cremant (IRE) 10-3 (11-4) Held up in last trio, good headway before 4 out, 3rd going well after next, 2nd before 2 out where every chance, ridden and found no extra before the last, weakened into 3rd run-in, 3rd of 7, 3 1/2l behind Shinobi (11-5) at Newton Abbot 2m 6f hcp (4) gd in Aug.
The Knot Is Tied (IRE) 8-1 (12-0) Prominent, led 7th, headed 3 out, led before 2 out, headed and not much room 2 out, weakened last, 6th of 12, 20 1/2l behind G'day Aussie (10-11) at Market Rasen 2m 3f hcp (5) gd in Sep.
