tracked leaders, ridden and weakened after 4 out pulled up before 2 out
tracked leader, led 4th, headed 5th, led again 6th, hit 8th, headed next, led again 10th, landed 3 out, clear next, mistake last, eased towards finish
led to 4th, led again 5th, headed 6th, led again 9th, headed 10th, ridden approaching 3 out, no impression from next
chased leaders, reminded after 9th, lost place next, rallied after 4 out, weakened approaching 2 out
not jumped well, soon behind, tailed off from 9th
In an interesting Graduation Chase, Crozan is selected ahead of Royal Rosa. It was a cracking good effort from Crozan to be just touched off by the very useful Tamarinbleu at Ascot last time and, based on that effort, he looks the one to beat today. A Grade 2-winning novice hurdler in 2004, Royal Rosa has made a more-than-satisfactory start to his chasing career and he rates a big danger. A 143-rated hurdler at best, Limerick Boy has so far failed to build on his good Kempton February 2005 chase win, while Royal Emperor won a Grade 2 hurdle in February of this year but has something to prove based on his chasing efforts so far. All of which returns us to the selection, which is Crozan.
Crozan (FR) 2-1 (11-7) Tracked leader, led after 3 out, headed 2 out, ridden, led flat and headed last strides, 2nd of 6, shd behind Tamarinbleu (11-0) at Ascot 2m 5f chs (2) gs.
Limerick Boy (GER) 9-1 (11-8) Close up, ridden 7th, weakening when mistake 3 out, mistake next, 9th of 11, 31l behind Glacial Sunset (10-13) at Kempton 2m 5f hcp hdl (2) gd in Nov.
Royal Emperor (IRE) 50-1 (11-9) Mid-division until 10th, soon behind, tailed off, 12th of 18, well behind Billyvoddan (10-12) at Ascot 3m lst hcp chs (1) gs.
Royal Rosa (FR) 4-9fav (11-0) Led, quicken 7th, ridden approaching last, stayed on well, won at Wetherby 2m 4f nov chs (2) sft beating L'Antartique (11-0) by 9l, 3 ran.
Silver Samuel (NZ) 8-1 (9-11) In rear when fell at the 3rd in race won by Chopneyev (10-8) at Hereford 3m 1f hcp chs 0-110 (4) sft, 10 ran.
