held up behind, effort to chase leaders 4 out, ridden and one pace approaching next, no impression
led, headed 10th, lost place 13th, weakened 4 out, tailed off
tracked leaders, went 2nd 5th, led 10th, ridden 2 out, headed narrowly soon after last, rallied flat, just held
mid-division, headway to join leader 13th, ridden 3 out, stayed on and every chance when pecked last, no extra flat
tracked leader to 5th, in touch, lost place 13th, weakened before 4 out, pulled up before next
held up behind, blundered 6th, headway 4 out, stayed on well to challenge last, soon led narrowly, ridden flat, just held on
tracked leaders, effort 3 out, ridden next, one pace approaching last
LORD HENRY is the class act in this contest and he is preferred to Herons Well and Silver Adonis. Phillip Hobbs has his string in good order and while there are fitness issues with regard to Lord Henry - he acts on fast ground and has taken on much stiffer assignments in the past. Herons Well has done nothing wrong in recent months and is still on the upgrade. Tony McCoy replaces an inexperienced conditional. Silver Adonis won the big hunter chase at Aintree and now attempts to beat the rules performers off a mark of 128. Psychomodo is likely to assume front running duties. Stan has proved disappointing of late and seems best watched rather than punted. Coq Hardi has ability though might need to come down the weights before he is seen in the winners enclosure again. Lord Henry seems the most reliable bet in a race where few can be written off.
Lord Henry (IRE) 8-1 (11-7) Held up in rear, headway 8th, never on terms, 4th of 9, 11l behind Fix The Rib (11-7) at Ascot 2m 1f hcp chs 0-130 (2) gd in Nov.
Psychomodo 16-1 (11-12) Prominent, lost place 5th, soon behind, tailed off when pulled up after 7th, in a race won by Oscar Bay (11-6) at Chepstow 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-135 (3) gd, 9 ran.
Stan (NZ) 8-1 (11-9) Held up in mid-division, driven and outpaced 3 out, ridden next, stayed on under pressure flat, no impression, 4th of 9, 16l behind De Boitron (10-9) at Cheltenham 2m cnd hcp chs (0-135) (3) gd.
Herons Well (IRE) 2-1 (11-5) Tracked leaders, went 2nd after 4 out, led 2 out, clear approaching last, eased towards finish, won at Uttoxeter 2m 4f nov chs (4) gd beating Silver Bay (10-12) by 10l, 4 ran.
Coq Hardi (FR) 7-4fav (11-12) Chased leaders, not fluent 5th, went 2nd 12th, not fluent next, led approaching 3 out, headed 2 out, no impression flat, 2nd of 5, 8l behind Catch The Perk (11-0) at Ayr 3m 1f clm chs (4) gd.
Postmaster 18-1 (11-5) Held up last until went 4th at 3rd, left 3rd at 5th, jumped left 8th, travelling well before 2 out, kept on into 2nd near finish, no impression on winner, 2nd of 5, 2 1/2l behind King Edmund (11-8) at Ascot 2m 1f nov chs (3) gd.
Silver Adonis (IRE) 50-1 (12-0) Tracked leaders, left 2nd at 6th, led 16th, ridden approaching last, stayed on well, won at Aintree 2m 5f hts chs (2) gs beating Moncadou (12-0) by 4l, 21 ran.
