mid-division, headway on inside 6th, challenged from 4 out, led 3 out, stayed on well, comfortably
not always fluent, led 1st until 2nd, lost place 8th, weakened 2 out
mid-division on outside, headway when mistake 7th, lost place next, well beaten from after 9th, tailed off before 4 out, pulled up after
tracked leaders, challenged 6th, led 8th, mistake and went right 4 out, headed and mistake 3 out, mistake 2 out, stayed on same pace
held up towards rear, headway before 4 out, challenged before 2 out going well, ridden and not run on flat
led until 1st, led and not fluent next, headed 8th, mistake 3 out, weakened next
in rear, slow 1st, closed 3 out, 4th next, no impression last, stayed on final 100 yards
blundered and unseated rider 1st
chased leaders, challenging when jumped left into and brushed rival 9th, hampered 4 out, weakened after 2 out
Granville Island completed a hat-trick at the end of last season and has won around here in the past but never off a mark this high. UBALTIQUE (NAP) is a course specialist and won this last year when only 2lb lower. He has everything in his favour again, including a promising pipe-opener over hurdles at Sedgefield. Kauto Riko will have needed his run at Aintree but French import Elixir Du Gouet is best watched on his first run for Venetia Williams and Ontopoftheworld has been on the go for a while. Shear Rock remains hard to place but should make the frame again and Uno Valoroso also has each-way claims.
Kauto Riko (FR) 20-1 (11-0) Slithered badly on landing 1st and soon pulled up, at Aintree 2m 4f hcp (2) gd in Nov.
Granville Island (IRE) 14-1 (11-9) Led until 4th, led next, headed 6th, lost place after 8th, weakened 2 out, 7th of 10, 28 1/4l behind Ballyhill (11-11) at Aintree 2m 4f hcp (3) sft in Dec.
Elixir Du Gouet (FR) (10-10) won at Fontainebleau 2m 2f sft in Oct beating Ballinsco (11-0) by 7l, 8 ran.
Shear Rock (IRE) 20-1 (10-4) Raced keenly, tracked leader until 9th, 2nd again 3 out, tried to challenge next, soon well held, 2nd of 10, 2 1/4l behind Lady Buttons (11-3) at Newbury 2m hcp (2) sft in Dec.
Zalvados (FR) 11-1 (11-3) Held up, headway 9th, ridden after 2 out, not much room before last, close 3rd at the last, no extra close home, 3rd of 6, 3 1/4l behind Midnight Chill (10-5) at Sedgefield 2m hcp (3) gs in Nov.
Ontopoftheworld (IRE) 6-4fav (12-6) Tracked leader until led 3rd, ridden 2 out, headed approaching last, kept on one pace, 2nd of 5, 1 1/2l behind Monsieur Co (11-12) at Musselburgh 2m hcp (4) gd in Dec.
Vendor (FR) 8-1 (11-4) In touch, lost place 8th, 5th of 9, 29l behind Theflyingportrait (11-12) at Wetherby 1m 7f hcp (3) gs in Nov.
Ubaltique (FR) 25-1 (11-12) In rear, headway before 3 out, soon ridden, one pace from 2 out, 3rd of 11, 16l behind Ninepointsixthree (10-12) at Sedgefield 2m 1f hcp (4) sft in Dec.
Uno Valoroso (FR) 5-1 (10-13) Led, headed soon after 1st, tracked leader, led again on long run to 2 out, joined next and soon headed, no extra and just held on to 2nd, 2nd of 6, 5l behind Vengeur De Guye (11-10) at Bangor 2m 1f hcp (4) sft in Dec.
