ran in snatches out wide towards rear, closer in mid-division 9th, headway chasing leaders 17th, weakened before 4 out
chased leaders early, dropped to mid-division 5th, rallied chasing leaders after 5 out, challenged in 2nd at the last, sustained challenge run-in, stayed on to lead towards finish
made most until after 9th, in front again soon after, headed approaching the last and dropped to 3rd, no extra run-in
mistake 3rd, off the pace in rear, tailed off 5 out, plugged on past weakening rivals
chased leaders, weakened 5 out, tailed off and pulled up before 4 out
off the pace towards rear, never involved
always front rank, led briefly after 9th, chased leader until approaching 14th, chased leaders, went 2nd again 16th, challenged 3 out, led approaching last, battled on gamely, headed towards finish
off the pace in rear-division, tailed off and pulled up before 4 out
off the pace towards rear, hit 7th, pushed along in mid-division after 5 out, plugged on
held up towards rear, steady headway on inside chasing leaders before 5 out, plugged on in 4th from 4 out
chased leaders out wide, pushed along in mid-division after 13th, outpaced before 17th, never dangerous after
soon off the pace towards rear, plugged on past weakening rivals, never dangerous
ran without one shoe, chased leaders on inside, ridden after 15th, weakened after 5 out, tailed off and pulled up before 4 out
raced keenly and prominent, led 7th until after 9th, chased leaders, went 2nd approaching 14th, hit 16th and lost 2nd, chased leaders, weakened 3 out
NonRunner
Bristol De Mai was awarded this race last year after being beaten seven lengths by the subsequently-disqualified The Galloping Bear - he is 5lb lower in the weights now. Time To Get Up was the only other finisher last year but was beaten 33 lengths. Saint Xavier had The Two Amigos back in third when landing a veterans’ handicap here in November but the latter left that form behind when making all in the Welsh Grand National at Chepstow subsequently when Time To Get Up, Fortescue and QUICK WAVE were all pulled up. It transpired that the latter had lost a shoe on the way round that day so she might be worth another chance as she’d been very impressive earlier at Sandown. Charlie Deutsch deserts her in favour of course winner Fontaine Collonges, however, and Venetia Williams also saddles the returning Cloudy Glen. Snow Leopardess caught the eye over the cross-country fences at Cheltenham last time and Notachance ran well for third in the Classic Chase at Warwick last month when Newbury winner Grumpy Charley was pulled up. Omar Maretti has been lightly raced and a back-to-form Fortescue would be a threat to all while course specialist Small Present warrants a mention off a low weight though is still a maiden over fences.
Bristol De Mai (FR) 11-1 (11-10) Led after 1st, headed briefly 12th, soon led again, nudged along before 4 out, headed 4 out, soon ridden, lost second next, no extra from 2 out, lost third after last, 4th of 5, 20 3/4l behind Protektorat (11-10) at Haydock 3m 2f (1) sft in Nov.
Quick Wave (FR) 4-1fav (11-9) Towards rear, headway into mid-division 11th, slightly hampered by faller 14th, lost touch 5 out and pulled up, at Chepstow 3m 7f hcp (1) sft in Dec.
Cloudy Glen (IRE) 20-1 (11-5) Prominent, led 2nd until 5th, blundered 5 out, 7th 4 out, soon weakened, tailed off, 9th of 16, dist behind Windsor Avenue (11-1) at Doncaster 3m hcp lst (1) gd in Jan.
Fortescue 16-1 (11-10) Mid-division, dropped to rear 6th, pushed along 12th and struggling, pulled up before 5 out, at Chepstow 3m 7f hcp (1) sft in Dec.
Grumpy Charley 11-2 (11-4) In touch in mid-division, lost place 11th, struggling 14th, tailed off 16th, pulled up after, at Warwick 3m 5f hcp (1) hvy in Jan.
Fontaine Collonges (FR) 7-1 (11-6) Chased leaders, outpaced before 4 out, rallied run-in, went 4th post, 4th of 14, 9l behind Remastered (12-1) at Kempton 3m hcp (2) sft in Dec.
Snow Leopardess 10-1 (10-8) Prominent, led 22nd, headed before 28th, no extra last, 6th of 15, 10 3/4l behind Back On The Lash (10-5) at Cheltenham 3m 6f hcp (2) gs in Jan.
Omar Maretti (IRE) 6-1 (12-0) Pressed leader, led before 2nd, headed 3rd, led before 10th, hit 12th and headed, led after 13th, headed 4 out, hanging left and lost 2nd before last, stayed on, 3rd of 4, 2l behind Gold Cup Bailly (12-0) at Ayr 3m hcp (3) hvy in Jan.
Time To Get Up (IRE) 25-1 (11-3) Front mid-division, went 4th before 13th, ridden home turn, mistake and weakened 5 out, pulled up, at Chepstow 3m 7f hcp (1) sft in Dec.
First Lord De Cuet (FR) 11-8 (11-2) Led, awkward on landing 2 out and headed, rallied last, ridden and kept on run-in, always held, 2nd of 4, 1l behind Sizable Sam (11-2) at Exeter 3m (3) gs in Feb.
Notachance (IRE) 15-2 (10-7) Prominent, pushed along 15th, outpaced 17th, rallied into 2nd last (normal 2 out), held by winner and lost 2nd final 100 yards, 3rd of 13, 3 3/4l behind Iwilldoit (11-10) at Warwick 3m 5f hcp (1) hvy in Jan.
Small Present (IRE) 8-1 (11-9) Chased leader, hard ridden home turn, disputed 2nd 2 out when not fluent, kept on same pace from last, 3rd of 15, 2 1/2l behind Bangers And Cash (11-9) at Market Rasen 3m 4f hcp (3) gs in Dec.
Tim Pat (IRE) 15-2 (12-2) Front mid-division, headway into 4th 4 out, pushed along and switched right before 3 out, ridden and pressed leader 2 out, stayed on run-in, just held closing stages, 2nd of 11, nk behind Taste The Fear (11-8) at Doncaster 3m hcp (4) gd in Jan.
Saint Xavier (FR) 6-1jfav (10-11) Mid-division, jumped slowly 12th, headway on inside chasing leaders when went left 3 out, hit next, plugged on into 5th run-in, 5th of 18, 8 1/2l behind Wishing And Hoping (11-10) at Sandown 3m hcp (2) sft in Jan.
The Two Amigos 16-1 (10-6) Prominent, led after 1st, headed narrowly 4 out, pushed along and rallied to lead again 2 out, soon ridden and stayed on resolutely, always doing enough run-in, won at Chepstow 3m 7f hcp (1) sft in Dec beating The Big Breakaway (11-13) by 1 1/4l, 17 ran.
